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July-September

2013

Edition

THE SOAWR COALITION

Achieve universal

ratification and

implementation of the AU

Protocol on Women’s

Rights

International Conference

on Maternal, Newborn

and Child Health in

Africa

Pg. 3

SOAWR Member’s

Meeting

Pg. 4

Follow-Up Training for

Lawyers

Pg. 5

Promoting Women’s

Access to Health and

Reproductive Rights

Pg. 5

AU 10th Anniversary

Celebrations

Pg. 6

Ratification,

Domestication and

Implementation of AU

Treaties in West and

North Africa

Pg. 7

Workshop on State

Reporting under the

African Women’s Human

Rights Protocol

Pg. 8

Condemning Violence

against Women

Pg. 9

“Human rights are not

things that are put on

the table for people to

enjoy. These are things

you fight for and then

you protect.”

― Wangari Maathai

Inside this issue:

2

SOAWR July – September 2013

Upcoming Events

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African Union Commission

Nov. 11. 2013 - Nov.12.2013: The

2nd Forum of the African Union on

International Law and African

Union Law, Headquarters of the

African Union, 11 – 12 November

2013.

African Commission on Human

and People’s Rights:

Oct. 18. 2013- Oct. 20.2013:

Forum On The Participation of

NGOs In The 54th Ordinary

Session Of The African

Commission On Human And

Peoples’ Rights And 28th African

Human Rights Book Fair.

Oct. 22.2013-Nov. 5.2013: 54th

Ordinary Session of the African

Commission on Human and

Peoples’ Rights.

SOAWR members at celebrations in July

2013 to make the 10th Anniversary of the AU Women's Rights Protocol

3

SOAWR July – September 2013

The AU Commission (AUC) convened an International Conference on Maternal, New-born and Child

Health (MNCH) in Africa. The theme of the conference was “A Call to Action”. The aim of the multi-

sectoral and action oriented conference was

to provide an opportunity to take stock of

the progress made in addressing MNCH

issues; highlight prevailing challenges,

recommend innovative solutions and forge

collective resolve in preparation for the post

2015 development agenda. The conference

was attended by about 500 participants from

Africa and the international development

community. About 30 African Ministers were

in attendance, mostly from Ministries of

Health but also from other ministries in

keeping with the multi sectoral nature of the

conference. Ministers of Health included

the minsiters from Malawi, South Africa,

Eritrea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. H.E. Dr.

Dlamini Zuma of the AUC was in attendance

throughout the conference. Heads of UN

Agencies were also in attendance, including

Babatunde Osotimehin of UNFPA and Michel

Sidibe of UNAIDS. Participants also included senior representatives from civil society organizations,

youth networks and technical experts from government and the UN. On the invitation of the AUC and

UNFPA, IPAS led sessions on “Unsafe Abortion and Maternal Mortality” and “Mobilizing Action against

Early Pregnancy and Poor Pregnancy Outcomes in Africa” at the conference.

The outcome of the conference was a plan of

action, developed by consolidating

recommendations emerging from the plenary

and parallel sessions. One of the agreed actions

was for member states to ratify the Protocol on

the Rights of Women, and domesticate Article 14

in particular, aligning national laws, policies and

practice to the requirements of Sexual and

Reproductive Health (SRH) in the Protocol, by

2015. Additionally, the plan of action had strong

recommendations on access to safe abortion,

adolescent/youth SRH and the intersections of

gender and MNCH.

International Conference on Maternal, Newborn and Child

Health in Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa 1 – 3 August 2013

Ambassador Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah(L) of the IPAS Africa

Alliance with participants at the International Conference on

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Africa

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Centre) with participants at the

International Conference on Maternal, Newborn and Child

Health in Africa

4

SOAWR July – September 2013

55 women's human rights activists drawn from SOAWR's

membership met to deliberate on the coalition's 2014-2018

strategic planning direction. The SOAWR steering committee has

reviewed the 1st draft of the 2014-2018 draft strategic plan and

sent the feedback to the consultant. The plan will guide SOAWR’s

engagements in the next five years building on achievements

made to date.

On 11th July 2013, Equality Now's Nairobi office organized a

cocktail together with other SOAWR members, The African

Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

and Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW). The event

held in Nairobi was an opportunity to reflect on women's rights

gains and challenges on the African continent in the 10 Years that

the AU Women's Human Rights Protocol has been in existence, as

well as opportunities going forward.

Several articles on the 10th Anniversary published on Pambazuka, Reuters, Oxfam GB Raising her

Voice website, Girls Not Brides (appeared on AWID and WURN).

SOAWR Member’s Meeting

Nairobi, Kenya 10th-11th August 2013

Hon. Rachel Shebesh, Nairobi County Women's Representative

SOAWR membership at the annual member's meeting

5

Equality Now and the SOAWR Coalition in partnership with The Institute for Human Rights and

Development in Africa (IHRDA) co-convened a follow up workshop to the training on using the

Protocol on the Rights of Women for Legal Action. The training targeted about 20 lawyers from

Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra

Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The workshop built the capacity

of lawyers on case identification for strategic litigation. Lawyers participated in group work to put

into practice the strategies they had learnt in identifying suitable cases for public interest litigation

and developing a litigation strategy using the Protocol on the Rights of Women as a tool for

litigation. Four cases were identified for group work and further follow up for potential litigation at

the regional level. The meeting was supported by the Foundation to Promote Open Society (FPOS).

SOAWR July – September 2013

The Ipas Africa Alliance convened lawyers from

nine countries in Africa to share their work, learn

from each other, and gain skills for promoting

reproductive rights and access to safe abortion

including as provided for in Article 14 of the

Protocol. Participants included lawyers working

in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone,

Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia who are well

versed in reproductive rights law and committed

to promoting access to safe abortion. The

outcome of the conference was an enhanced

understanding by participants on the current

legislative positions of different countries across

Africa on reproductive health rights, especially

abortion. There was a general consensus that

countries should endeavor not to criminalize

abortion. However, it was also agreed that in

situations where a country has legislated on

abortion lawyers should carry out advocacy on

the inherent nature of reproductive health rights

of women to all duty bearers namely the

Judiciary, Police and even the Legislature before

instituting a case in court.

Follow-Up Training for Lawyers

Nairobi, Kenya 5th & 6th August 2013

Promoting Women’s Access to Health and Reproductive Rights

Nairobi, Kenya 20th – 22nd August 2013

Participants at the IPAS meeting

6

SOAWR July – September 2013

AU 10th Anniversary Celebrations Lilongwe, Malawi

11th - 15th August 2013 Between 11th-15th August 2013, The SOAWR Coalition (represented by African Centre for

Democracy and Human Rights-The Gambia,

African Women’s Development and

Communication Network (FEMNET), Ipas Africa

Alliance for Women’s Reproductive Health and

Rights, Centre for Human Rights-University of

Pretoria, Coalition on Violence Against Women

(COVAW), NGO Gender Coordination Network-

Malawi, Oxfam GB, Women and Law in Southern

Africa-Zambia and Equality Now) collaborated with the Government of Malawi, The African Union

Commission and UN Women in convening a series of meetings to mark the 10th Anniversary of the AU

Women’s Human Rights Protocol (The Protocol) as follows:

11th-13th August 2013: Convening, with the support of Oxfam, the NEPAD Spanish Fund for African

Women Empowerment, UN Women, and the Government of Malawi, a follow-up training on the adoption

of a multi-sectoral approach to fast track the domestication and implementation of the Protocol. 60

participants drawn from government and civil society organizations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia,

Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo and Zambia attended the

meeting which resulted in the development of action plans to be implemented in the coming year.

14th August 2013: SOAWR members attended a

ministerial meeting organized by the Africa Union

Commission’s Women, Gender and Development

Directorate and UN Women to discuss priorities

for ministers of Gender across the continent, in

relation to the African Union Women’s Decade

(2010-2020). SOAWR members were instrumental

in drafting a communiqué adopted by the

ministers.

15th August 2013: Launched ‘Journey to Equality’,

a publication prepared by Equality Now, The

SOAWR Coalition, Make Every Woman Count and

the African Commission on Human and People’s

Rights to mark the 10th Anniversary of the

Protocol. The book was launched by President

Joyce Banda of Malawi and the Chairperson of the

African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana

Dlamini-Zuma. In addition, the SOAWR Coalition

received an award from the African Union

Commission in recognition of the coalition’s role

in the ratification, domestication and

implementation of the Protocol.

Rural Women from across Southern Africa at the launch of

Journey to Equality.

President Banda and Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma launching Journey to Equality.

7

SOAWR July – September 2013

Ratification, Domestication and Implementation of AU

Treaties in North and West Africa

Dakar, Senegal

26th & 27th August 2013

Equality Now/ SOAWR Secretariat participated in a meeting organized by the African Union

Commission’s Legal Counsel Office, on the ratification, domestication and implementation of various

AU treaties for North and West African member states. Held in Dakar-Senegal, the meeting was an

opportunity to discuss measures by member state representatives from the above-mentioned sub

regions to ensure that Algeria, Egypt, Niger, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sierra Leone and

Tunisia ratify the Protocol as well as policies and resources required by ratified states to ensure it is

fully implemented. Member states adopted recommendations central to the objectives of the

meeting including exploring ways to enhance collaboration with key civil society organizations such

as the SOAWR Coalition. Equality Now’s participation was facilitated by a grant from the NEPAD

Spanish Fund for African Women’s Empowerment.

Participants at the AU Commission’s Legal Counsel Office on the Ratification, Domestication and Implementation of AU Treaties in North and West Africa

8

SOAWR July – September 2013

The Gender Unit at the Centre for Human

Rights- University of Pretoria organised a 3-

day workshop in Dakar on state reporting

on the African Women's Rights Protocol in

collaboration with the Special Rapporteur

on the Rights of Women in Africa,

Commissioner Soyata Maiga. The

objectives of the workshop were to

popularize the guidelines on state

reporting under the Protocol and to strengthen understanding of state reporting obligations in

accordance with the Guidelines. Twenty-five representatives from government, National Human

Rights Institutions, and civil society from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Cameroon

attended.

Presentations were made on the African Human Rights System, the African Women's Rights Protocol,

and the state reporting process and Commissioner Maiga provided an overview of the situation of

women's human rights in Africa, including highlights of challenges and good practices. The

workshop was also highly participatory. After sharing the status of reporting in each country and

the challenges faced by those tasked with state reporting, participants worked in country groups to

draft a report on the Women's Rights Protocol and present it in a moot session of the African

Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The workshop follows a similar capacity building workshop convened earlier this year, in June, in

Pretoria for six Eastern and Southern African countries. Eleven countries that have ratified the

Women's Rights Protocol have now strengthened their capacity to submit their reports on the

Protocol in accordance with the Guidelines and it is anticipated that the impact of the two workshops

will soon be evident. For example, subsequent to being represented at the Pretoria workshop, the

government of Malawi submitted its report on the Protocol to the African Commission, which will be

considered in early 2014. It is the first country to have submitted a report on the Protocol.

Workshop on State Reporting under

the African Women’s Human Rights

Protocol

Dakar, Senegal 21st-23rd August 2013

Participants at the Workshop on State Reporting under the

African Women’s Human Rights Protocol

9

SOAWR July – September 2013

Condemning Violence against Women

Nairobi, Kenya

10th September 2013

The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition (SOAWR) joined members of the National

Women’s Steering Committee-Kenya in condemning the assault of Nairobi’s Women Parliamentary

Representative, the Honourable Rachel Shebesh by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero against

Nairobi’s Women Parliamentary Representative, the Honourable Rachel Shebesh. A video of the

incident that took place on Friday 6th September 2013 has received wide media coverage in Kenya

and clearly shows Governor Kidero slapping the Honourable Shebesh at City Hall-Nairobi.

Subsequent statements from Governor Kidero and his office indicate that he did not recall the

altercation and further claimed that his action was warranted by indecent assault by Honourable

Shebesh. In a statement issued by the Coalition following the incident, Saida Ali, Executive Director

of the Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW) noted, “It is unacceptable to use violence

against women in any context, especially as a means of conflict resolution by leaders. It is

deplorable that such violence has been normalized such that some members of the society believe

certain situations justify the use of violence against women. This should be cause for alarm for the

government, and relevant authorities should take action to undo the normalization of violence.”

Based on Kenya’s national and international obligations including as outlined in Article 4 of the AU

Women’s Human Rights Protocol, SOAWR made several recommendations including; urging His

Excellency The President of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, to publicly condemn the act of

violence by Governor Kidero against Honorable Shebesh, calling on Dr. Evans Kidero to relinquish

his duties as the Governor of Nairobi; calling on The Kenya Police and Director of Public

Prosecutions to speedily investigate and institute criminal charges against Governor Kidero;

Emphasizing that The Kenyan Government needs to actively enforce all its law and policies and

ensure that it actively addresses and reverses the normalization of violence against women through

campaigns and programmes throughout the country that seek to challenge and eliminate cultural

norms and stereotypes that justify violence against women.

A full copy of the statement is available here:

http://www.soawr.org/en/news/item/soawr_strongly_condemns_the_act_of_violence_by_nairobi_g

overnor_evans_kider/

10

SOAWR July – September 2013

Maputo Protocol Status Report

September 2012: Signed – 47

Ratified – 34

September 2013:

Signed – 48

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote

d'Ivoire, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,

Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Lesotho, Liberia,

Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab

Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South

Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Ratified – 36

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic

Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea

Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,

Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

States that have neither signed nor ratified - 3

Botswana, Egypt, Tunisia

Source:

African Union Commission: http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/Rights%20of%20Women.pdf

11

SOAWR July – September 2013

About the SOAWR Coalition

The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) is a coalition of 43 civil society organizations in

23 African countries dedicated to protecting and advancing African women’s rights. SOAWR is

working to ensure that the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa remains

on the agenda of policy makers and to urge all African leaders to safeguard the rights of women

through ratification and implementation of the Protocol.

Members of the Coalition

BURKINA FASO: Voix de Femmes; BURUNDI: Collectif des Associations et ONGs Féminines de

Burundi (CAFOB); CAMEROON: Women’s Advocacy and Communication Network, Women Peace

Initiatives Association; DJIBOUTI: Union Nationale des Femmes de Djibouti; EGYPT: Association of

Egyptian Female Lawyers; ETHIOPIA: Inter-African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices

Affecting the Health of Women and Children; THE GAMBIA: African Centre for Democracy and

Human Rights Studies; GHANA: African Women’s Development Fund; GUINEA: Cellule de

Coordination sur les Pratiques Traditionelles Affectant la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants (CPTAFE); KENYA: African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET),

Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW), Equality Now (Secretariat), Ipas Africa Alliance for

Women’s Reproductive Health and Rights, FAHAMU Networks for Social Justice, Federation of

Women Lawyers-Kenya, Oxfam GB, Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance, Tomorrow’s Child Initiative, Women Direct; LIBERIA: Women of Liberia Peace Network, Women NGO’s Secretariat of

Liberia; MALAWI: NGO Gender Coordination Network; MALI: Association des Juristes Maliennes;

MOZAMBIQUE: Forum Mulher; NAMIBIA: Sister Namibia; NIGERIA: Alliances for Africa, BAOBAB

for Women’s Human Rights, Human Rights Law Service, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternatives (WRAPA); SENEGAL: Inter-African Network for Women, Media, Gender and

Development (FAMEDEV), FAHAMU Networks for Social Justice; SOUTH AFRICA: People Opposing

Women Abuse, University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights; SUDAN: Strategic Initiative for

Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA); TANZANIA: Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC);

UGANDA: Action for Development, Akina Mama wa Afrika, Centre for Justice Studies and

Innovations, Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women, EASSI, Uganda Women’s Network; ZAMBIA: Women and Law Southern Africa, Women in Law and

Development in Africa; ZIMBABWE: Girl Child Network