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January-March Issue/2014

SOAWR COALITION

Achieving universal ratification and

implementation of the AU Protocol on

the rights of women.

Articles in this issue:

more on2

22nd African Union Commission Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa-Ethiopia pg. 3

FGM Stakeholders Meeting in Nairobi-Kenya pg. 4

Action Campaign to Address Sexual Violence in Sudan pg. 5

Multi-Sectoral Approach Training in Naivasha-Kenya pg. 5

Guinea Mission in Conakry-Guinea pg. 6

Regional Experts Meeting on Child Marriage in Pretoria, South Africa pg. 7

Engagement in the 57th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 2014 in New York-USA pg. 8 & 9

Lawyer’s Training on the Strategic Use of the AU Women’s Rights Protocol in National and Regional Litigation in Dakar-Senegal pg. 10

“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.”

―WangariMaathai

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SOAWR January-March 2014

Upcoming Events +

African Union Commission:

May 2014

29th: Launch of the AU’s campaign to End Child Marriage Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

June 2014

30th: Deadline for the call for applicants from African Civil Society Organizations for membership in the interim ECOSOCC General Assembly. Information available here: http://bit.ly/1h4NET

Upcoming UN Events can be assessed here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/Meetings.aspx

ICPD 2014 Events: http://icpdbeyond2014.og/key-events/view/15-icpd-beyond-2014-review-timeline

Beijing +20 Events: http://www.uneca.org/beijing-plus-20

SOAWR Coalition:

May 2014:

13-14th: Unsafe Abortion Workshop-Nairobi, Kenya

June 2014:

9-12th: Sudan Ratification Mission

25-26th: Ethiopia Ratification Mission

July 2014:

Uganda Lawyer’s Training Mission

7-9th: Lawyer’s Training-Benin

11th: AU Women’s Rights Protocol Celebrations & 10th Anniversary of the SOAWR Coalition

11-12th: Multi-Sectoral Approach Training Meeting-Benin

23-25th: Multi-Sectoral Approach Meeting-Senegal

28-29th: Lawyer’s Training Meeting-Senegal

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SOAWR January-March 2014

- sodales.

22nd African Union Commission Heads of State Summit 21st-31st January 2014: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

SOAWR members engaged in various activities on the margins of the 22nd African Union Commission Heads of State summit held between 21st-31st January 2014. These included: Engagement with representatives of member states and the Permanent Representative Committee of Ambassadors (PRC) on the ratification, domestication and implementation of the Protocol. Anatolie Ndayashimiye (CAFOB), Omayma El-Mardi (Mutawinat), Kavinya Makau (Equality Now) and Nebila Adulmelik (FEMNET) engaged in fruitful discussions with the Ambassadors and relevant consulate staff of the governments of Burundi (His Excellency M. Alain Aimé Nyamitwe and Mr. Felix Muvayo Birihanyuma) and Sudan

(His Excellency Abdelrahman Sirel Khatim Mohamed Osman and Mr. Husni Mustafa) on the important ratification of the Protocol by their States. Ms. Abdulmelik was also instrumental in drafting and deploying a social media strategy (see attached) that was effectively used in the course of the mission.

The state representative reiterated their governments’ commitment to girls’ and women’s rights and enumerated various measures in their countries to advance women’s rights, including in the fields of education and economic empowerment. They did express concerns on certain provisions of the Protocol inter alia Article 5 [Elimination of Harmful Traditional Practices], 6 [Marriage], 7 [Separation, Divorce and Annulment of Marriage], 9 [Right to participation in the political and decision-making process], 14(2)(c) [Health and Reproductive Rights] and 21 [Right to Inheritance]. All officials committed to following up with the relevant in-country officials to ensure the Protocol is ratified by their states, in due course. Burundi’s Ambassador M. Alain Aimé Nyamitwe also provided useful insights into the use of strategic litigation to advance

the rights of women and girls at the national and regional levels.

Rights Protocol is sa ke pla

In addition, based on key recommendations from a two year continent-wide consultation with relevant stakeholders, the partners engaged government representatives, members of the PRC, relevant AU directorate staff and members of inter-governmental organizations in a discourse on how gender equality, women’s rights and empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights can be achieved in the Post 2015 Common African Position (CAP) on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, which feeds into the Sustainable Development Goals that will replace the current Millennium Development Goals. They called for a standalone gender targets across all the proposed priority areas of the current draft CAP. This was done in the course of a key strategic meeting with government representatives and members of the AU Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC); a high level reception with government representatives and members of the diplomatic corps, inter and non-governmental organizations; the GIMAC Gender Pre-Summit. A copy of the policy brief submitted by partners as well as a report of the reception noted above is available here: report of the side event |policy brief | press release | pictures.

This mission was made possible with the support of the NEPAD Spanish Fund for African Women’s Empowerment. countries.

The

From left to right: Omayma El-Mardi, M. Alain Aimé Nyamitwe and Anatolie Ndayashimiye at the Counsulate of the Republic of Burundi in Addis Ababa.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

Equality Now convened a training workshop on 27-31 January 2014 aimed at strengthening the capacity of various organizations working to end female genital mutilation (FGM). The training targeted activists form 18 countries working to end the practice of FGM in their respective communities. The workshop equipped participants with skills and tools on inter-generational dialogues, advocacy, and holding their governments accountable to uphold the rights of women and girls through effective implementation of laws. Additionally, the workshop enhanced participants’ effective communications and media skills to raise visibility of their work at the national, regional, and, and international level through print media, radio, television, and social media. In addition, Equality Now hosted a public forum on 30 January 2014 to discuss “State responsibility, role and challenges in addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)”. The newly appointed head of the FGM Board in Kenya, Hon Jebii Kilimo was one of the panelists. Participants at the FGM forum formulated a declaration which can be a accessed here: http://bit.ly/1itJaSL

FGM Stakeholders Meeting 27th to 31st January 2014

Nairobi, Kenya

\ Anti-FGM activists at Equality Now’s “Holding Duty Bearers to Account” Workshop, January 2014

SOAWR April-June 2013

Action Campaign to Address Sexual Violence in Sudan

In February 2014, Mutawinat Benevolent Company, a member of the SIHA network brought to Equality Now’s attention the case of a 19-year-old pregnant and divorced Ethiopian woman who was lured to an empty property and brutally gang-raped. Subsequently, the survivor was arrested along with the perpetrators and faced criminal charges herself due to Sudan’s problematic legislation dealing with rape/sexual violence. Ms. Samia El Hashmi, Mutawinat’s Chairperson, was one of the counsel who represented the victim. In conjunction with Mutawinat, Equality Now sought to draw attention to the challenges in Sudan’s criminal code via its equality action campaign. In response, over 2,000 members of Equality Now’s Equality Action Network wrote to key government officials asking that:

The prosecution drop all criminal charges against the young woman, and cease any legal action to deport her to Ethiopia.

The young woman is promptly provided with adequate medical and psychological support as a victim and survivor of sexual

violence.

Immediate steps are taken to amend the Sudan Criminal Act of 1991 and the Sudan Evidence Act of 1994 to prevent the criminalization of sexual violence victims, and to ensure that women and girls who have been raped receive equal protection under the law in accordance with Sudan’s international obligations.

The state was at one point considering fresh charges against the victim, but these were delayed as a result of the action. The state also provided the victim with medical care after partners went live with the action.

The full text of the action is available here: http://bit.ly/1jX4Df

This campaign was supported by the NEPAD Spanish Fund for African Women’s Empowerment.

Multi-Sectoral Approach Training

24th to 25th February 2014- Naivasha, Kenya

The Gender Directorate, Ministry of Devolution and Planning (Kenya) collaborated with Equality Now and the Solidarity of African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition to train over 30 participants on the Adoption of a Multi-Sectoral Framework by the Government of Kenya toward the Domestication and Implementation of the African Union Protocol on the Rights of African Women. This activity was funded by the Foundation to Promote Open Society. During the meeting, which took place in Naivasha, participants learned about the multi-sectoral approach framework and a core national team of resource-persons was developed. Support needs in the development of national multi-sectoral strategies for the implementation of the Protocal was identified and participants formulated action plans for the

implementation of the Protocol.

Participants pose for a group photo during a two day training on the Multi-Sectoral Approach to the Implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

GUINEA MISSION: 18th-21st of March 2014, Conakry-Guinea

Between the 18th-21st March 2014, Ms. Mohamed (Equality Now), Dr. Kouyate and Dr. Kone (CPTAFE) and Ms. Sow (consultant) met with top officials in the Ministries of Social Affairs and the Promotion of Women and Children (Mr. Moriba Ramos Camara, Secretary General), the Justice (Mr. Mohamed Koly Camara, Secretary General and Mr. Moussa Kourouma, Chef de Cabinet), Human Rights (Mr. Diaby Gassama Kalif, Minister) and Health (mme. Fanta Kaba, Chef de Cabinet). In addition, the group met with officials from the First Lady’s Foundation, Pour la Promotion de la Santé Maternelle et Infantile. After discussing the Protocol and the status of girls and women in Guinea, all officials reiterated their commitment to working with the project partners to hold a multi-sectoral approach meeting, which will take place in July 2014.

Top Left: Mr. Moussa Kourouma (Secretary General of the Justice), Mr. Mohamed Koly Camara (Chef de Cabinet), Dr. Kouyate, Faiza Mohamed, Dr. Kone, and Rainatou Sow.

Top Right: Mme Fanta Kaba (Chef de Cabinet of Health Ministry), Dr. Kouyate, Faiza Mohamed, Dr. Kone, and Rainatou Sow.

Bottom: Mr. Diaby Gassama Kalifa (Minister of Human Rights), Dr. Kouyate, Faiza Mohamed, Dr. Kone, and Rainatou Sow.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

The Centre for Human Rights hosted a meeting of experts on child marriage in Africa on the 5th and 6th of March 2014. This meeting forms part of the child marriage project which seeks to investigate the prevalence of this phenomenon in African countries, and to give recommendations on best practices that can be employed to curb it. This project supports the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (SRRWA) especially to follow up on the implementation of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa by state parties, notably by preparing reports on the situation of women’s rights in Africa and propose recommendations to be adopted by the Commission. The Special Rapporteur is further mandated to carry out comparative studies on the situation of the rights of women in various countries in Africa. The meeting brought together regional experts from 10 countries which form part of this study, as well as 10 country researchers contracted to compile country reports which will form part of the final regional report. The countries focused on for this study are: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda. These countries were chosen for their collective high prevalence rates in early and forced marriages, as well as to offer some examples in terms of best practices that may be employed, regionally in the fight against early and forced marriages. Also in attendance were representatives from the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), whose input was very helpful in framing some conceptual considerations.

It is hoped that ultimately the report will be adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The women’s rights clinic, which forms part of the Master’s program in human rights and democratization in Africa, is also involved in the development of General Comments enumerating states obligations with respect to the elimination of harmful traditional practices, including early and forced marriage, under the Women’s Protocol to the African Charter. A draft was shared at the meeting for comments and input and it is envisioned that through the expertise present at the meeting, the Comments shall be finalized and presented to the Afrcan Commission for adoption at

the session later in the year.

REGIONAL EXPERTS MEETING on

CHILD MARRIAGE

5th to 6th March 2014

Pretoria, South Africa

It was a productive and engaging meeting that brought to the fore practical considerations and possible interventions that may be employed in the drive to eradicate harmful traditional practices including child marriage. Some recommendations made include: naming the practice child unions and not a forced marriage as the necessary consent to

marriage can never be present between a minor and an adult. It was also recommended that the ACERWC be closer involved in the development of this report, alongside the SRRWA, as the issue relates primarily to the girl chid. A firm commitment was made for future collaboration in the development of the report, as well as in the completion of the General Comments.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

ENGAGEMENT at the 57th SESSION of the COMMISSION on the STATUS of WOMEN (CSW) 2014

“Challenges & Achievements in the Implementation of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) for Women and Girls”

4th-15th March 2014- New York, USA

During 4th to 15st March, 2014, representatives of Member States, UN entities, gender advocates, and women’s rights activists gathered in New York for the 58th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The session brought together stakeholders from all regions of the world to discuss, deliberate, and strategize on what has been accomplished on behalf of women, what has not, and what measures were stakeholders going to take to ensure increases in women’s access to equality and human rights.

Particularly, a side event was co-hosted on 13th March by FEMNET, Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) and the Global Fund for Women to discuss making women’s leadership a priority in the post-2015 agenda in Africa. The discussion brought together 100 women from the five sub-regions of Africa, including women Ministers and parliamentarians from Rwanda, Malawi, and Uganda.

The event centered on Africa’s achievements in increasing women’s leadership roles and political participation. Notably, while most African parliaments have women comprising only 30 percent of their parliamentary membership (MPs), Rwanda was applauded for leading the world with 64 percent of women MPs.

In addition to discussing both the historical and current status of women’s political participation, the event focused on increasing women’s leadership roles in the post-2015 agenda, particularly addressing what African governments must prioritize to ensure increases in the number of African women in political positions.

Additionally, the event centered on the imperative measures that African governments must take to commit resources, which would assist in the implementation of gender quotas and other measures designed to increase women’s political participation. Panelist Florence Butegwa argued that many African countries have seen a steady increase in financial growth; however, this money has not been allocated to create and expand the positions of African women in political and leadership roles. Despite countries, such as Kenya and Uganda, having recently discovered oil and other mineral reserves, Ms. Butegwa asked, “where is that money going?”

For more information and to access the CSW-58 Agreed Conclusions: Summary of Delegation Recommendations for UNCSW 58 Agreed Conclusions

“Girls were not put on this earth to be invisible. I

am here today to help ensure that the millions of

girls living in poverty across the world are heard.

The post-2015 framework must include the voices

of both girls and boys. We have rights, needs and

dreams and want these to be counted. This

includes the right of every girl to complete a

quality education and live free from violence.

Don’t forget us because we are poor and silenced.

The world needs to wake up to our potential.”

-Humaira Wakili,

Plan Int’l Global Youth Speaker

Top: Stakeholders and participants in attendance for the 57th Session of the CSW.

Bottom: Lakshmi Puri, UN Women Deputy Executive Director, addresses the CSW participants.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

Participation of SOAWR Members in

CSW Panels

Interactive Panel Discussion on How to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls Beyond 2015

Held: 11th March 2014

Hosted by: Equality Now, Oxfam Novib and the Due Diligence Project Participant: Equality Now’s Antonia Kirkland

Post-2015 Development Agenda & Combating the Root Causes of Trafficking in Persons

Held: 18th March 2014

Hosted by: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Participant: Equality Now’s Co-Founder & Honorary President Jessica Neuwirth

Empowering Women to Prevent Human Trafficking- Film Screening & Panel Discussion

Held: 19th March 2014

Hosted by: UNICEF USA, Worldwide Documentaries

Participant: Equality Now’s Trafficking Director Lauren Hersh took part in a discussion on human trafficking and the violence against women and girls.

Left: Equality Now Trafficking Director, Lauren Hersh, leading a discussion on trafficking at the CSW.

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SOAWR January-March 2014

Lawyer’s Training on the Strategic Use of the AU Women’s Rights Protocol in National and Regional Litigation

31st March- 2nd April 2014- Dakar, Senegal

Equality Now and the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition in partnership with the Association of Juristes Sénégalaises (AJS), hosted a follow-up workshop for 31 francophone lawyers trained over the last three years. The meeting which was held in Dakar, Senegal, between 31st March 2014 and 2nd April 2014 brought together participants drawn from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Sénégal and Togo. The workshop was a forum for the lawyers to enhance their knowledge on the African human rights systems and the Protocol as a legal framework to protect and promote the rights of women and girls in Africa. Participants also shared their experience in litigating cases on the rights of girls and women in their countries, particularly where they have relied

on the Protocol.

STEWARD-ORG

South Sudan Joins the SOAWR Coalition!

In March 2014, STEWARD-ORG joined the Coalition and as SOAWR’s 44th member. The institution is a community South Sudanese women’s rights civil society organization, with operations in Central Equatorial, Eastern Equatoria and Warrap states. Established in 2009, STEWARD envisions a South Sudan, “free from the violations of human rights of women and children” and works primarily to address sexual and gender based violence, harmful customs on women and girls, child labor and trafficking, community insecurity conflicts, poor governance and illiteracy in South Sudan. More information is available on: www.stewardwomen.org.

They are undoubtedly a great addition to SOAWR given our strategic/core objectives.

Welcome STEWARD-ORG!

“How important it is for us to

celebrate our heroes and our

she-roes!”

-Maya Angelou

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SOAWR January-March 2014

PROTOCOL WATCH

March 2013

Signed: 48 Ratified: 36

March 2014

Signed: 48

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Mauritania, 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

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SOAWR January-March 2014

About the SOAWR Coalition

The SOAWR Coalition is a network of 44 organizations working across 24

African states to ensure that governments on the continent ratify,

domesticate, and fully implement the AU Women’s Rights Protocol.

Members of the Coalition include:

Action for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), African

Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), African

Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Association of Egyptian Female

Lawyers( AEFL), Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMWA), Alliances for Africa,

Association des Juristes Maliennes (AJM), BAOBAB for Women’s Human

Rights, Cellule de Coordination sur les Pratiques Traditionelle Affectant la

Sante des Femmes et des Enfants (CPTAFE), , Centre for Justice Studies

and Innovations (CJSI), Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW),

Collectif des Associations et ONGS Féminines de Burundi (CAFOB),

Eastern Africa Sub-regional Support Initiative (EASSI), Equality Now,

FAHAMU Networks for Social Justice, Federation of Women Lawyers

Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), Forum Mulher, Girl Child Network (GCN), Human

Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), Inter-African Committee on Harmful

Traditional Practices (IAC), IPAS Africa Alliance for Women’s

Reproductive Health and Rights, Inter-African Network For Women,

Media, Gender and Development (FAMEDEV), Legal and Human Rights

Centre (LHRC), NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN), Oxfam

GB, People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), Reproductive Health

Alliance, Sister Namibia, Strategic Initiative for the Horn of Africa (SIHA),

Tomorrow’s Child Initiative (TCI), Uganda Women's Network

(UWONET),Union Nationale des Femmes de Djibouti (UNFD), University

of Pretoria Center for Human Rights, Women Direct, Women’s Advocacy

and Communication Network( WANET), Voix de Femmes, Women of

Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET), Women and Law Southern Africa-

Zambia(WLSA), Women’s Peace Initiative, Women in Law and

Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Women’s Rights Advancement and

Protection Alternatives (WRAPA), Women NGO’s Secretariat of Liberia

(WONGOSOL), STEWARD-ORG,

“…Women used to be the silent victims and objects of men's powers, women

are (now) throwing down the walls of repressive traditions with the invincible

power of non-violence. Women are using their broken bodies from hunger,

poverty, desperation and destitution to stare down the barrel of the gun. This

(is a) time when ordinary mothers are no longer begging for peace, but

demanding peace, justice, equality and inclusion in political decision-making.”

-Leymah Gbowee