Below is the latest quarterly update (April to June 2006) that Equality Now
received from SOAWR members who are working on the campaign for ratification,
domestication and popularization of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in
Africa. Also included is information on the status of ratifications, meetings
attended by SOAWR members and upcoming events which may be of interest to SOAWR
members.
During this quarter the Steering Committee approved one more
membership application received from the Centre for Justice Studies and
Innovations (CJSI) in Uganda. This brings the total of SOAWR members to 22. Two
additional applications from Liberia and Somalia are being
reviewed.
Country Level Campaigns
Burkina Faso
Voix de
Femmes reported that the Chief of State of Burkina Faso signed the Decree of
Promulgation of the law authorizing ratification of the Protocol on the Rights
of Women in Africa on March 31, 2006. The only step that remains is depositing
the instrument of ratification with the African Union. The deposit document has
been prepared and was sent to the Secretariat of the Government and was signed
by the Chief of State on June 16, 2006. Currently, the document is with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is responsible for sending it to the African
Union Commission through Burkina Faso’s Embassy in Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, Voix de Femmes continues with activities to raise awareness
about the Protocol and they have integrated these activities within the scope of
their program regarding women’s rights and violence against women. They hold
2-hour educational sessions three times a month on Thursday afternoons for women
who have domestic issues including marriage, divorce and inheritance. Youth and
students also benefit from these sessions.
Ethiopia
IAC is
planning two workshops, the first in September 2006 for legislators and
parliamentarians on the domestication of the Protocol and other legal
instruments. IAC anticipates there will be 56 participates from IAC’s 28 member
countries. The objective is to train the participants on advocacy for
ratification or enforcement in their respective countries of the Protocol and
other legal instruments which protect women and children. The second conference
is a regional youth forum which will be held during 21-25 November 2006, and
will include 56 youths from the 28 IAC countries. The objective is to reinforce
youth networks which were established in 2000 to campaign against female genital
mutilation, and to train them on communication and validate a youth training
manual developed by IAC. A specific session on the Protocol and its application
is also on the conference agenda.
The Gambia
In April, the African
Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) reported that the Gambia
has removed the reservations that it has earlier place on four articles of the
Protocol. The African Union Commission has, however, not officially received
this revision from the Gambian Government. ACDHRS is following up on
this.
The ACDHRS organized and hosted the NGO forum during the 39th
Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). The
Forum, which brought about 135 participants and facilitators together, noted
that this year is the 25th Anniversary of the African Commission on Human and
Peoples’ Rights. The Forum addressed several themes including new developments
in the human rights and democracy situation in Africa. While Africa has seen
significant and positive developments in human rights and democracy in this
time, improvement is necessary with respect to human rights, good governance,
and the rule of law. The Forum commended the participation of civil society
organizations working throughout Africa to encourage the African Union to take
responsibility for the enhancement and promotion of human rights. It noted the
significance of the entry into force of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in
Africa, congratulated the countries which have ratified it, and urged those who
have not yet done so to ratify without delay. Strategies for the ratification
and implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women
in Africa were exchanged as a basis for future collaboration. The NGOs attending
the Forum expressed need to collaborate on efforts to advocate for ratification,
domestication, and implementation. In a statement read by Hannah Forster on
behalf of the NGO’s, attending the Forum, at the opening of the ACHPR, the NGO’s
congratulated The Gambia for lifting its reservations to the Protocol. The NGO
statement urged States to implement the African Union’s Solemn Declaration on
Gender Equality in Africa at the national level.
The First Meeting of
the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights - The office of the African Union
Commission Legal Counsel convened a meeting during the African Union Summit for
the purpose of swearing in the newly elected judges and to brief them on the
African Union Commission’s work especially on its working relations with the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The court has not elected a
president yet which was deferred to September 2006 in Addis Ababa.
Guinea
Conakry
Though Guinea was among the first countries whose Parliament
approved ratification of the Protocol, thanks to the strong mobilization efforts
led by CPTAFE and its partners on the ground, to date Guinea has not yet
officially deposited its instrument of ratification with the African Union
Commission. The delay is attributed to the current political crisis where the
President has been ill for several months now.
Convinced that the
Protocol must first be fully accepted by the community in general and women in
particular, CPTAFE engaged in an immense sensitization campaign. It identified
30 young women, 30 young men, 30 older women and 30 older men throughout the
country. These 120 people underwent a full day of training on the Protocol. Upon
return to their communities, these trained people undertook a vast education
campaign on the Protocol focusing on the following components: origin and
genesis, contents, achievement in the field of women’s human rights, regional
character, and necessity of personal engagement of women in the fight for their
rights. Interactive broadcasts on community radio were organized in four regions
of Guinea.
CPTAFE succeeded in including the popularization of the
Protocol in all its social projects in Guinea. Parallel to this work in the
field, staff and volunteers went door to door to the decision-makers and
advocated for the deposit of the instrument of ratification. In the past year,
Guinea has changed government three times and the Minster of Foreign Affairs,
who is specifically responsible for the Protocol, has changed four times. CPTAFE
met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Health, Interior and
Social Affairs and sensitized them all on the necessity to support the
domestication of the Protocol.
On 12 May 2006, Guinean Radio and
Television organized a large debate on the subject of the ratification and
application of the Protocol in Guinea and Africa. This program, which brought
together Guinean specialists from government and civil society, allowed for wide
scale dissemination of information to the public on the progress that has been
achieved for human rights in general and women’s rights in particular. Following
the last meeting of the Board of CPTAFE and their partners held on 29 June 2006,
it was proposed that CPTAFE would use theatre, a method of popularization which
has had a lot of success in the fight against FGM, to popularize the Protocol in
the public domain.
* Please click on the link below to read the full
update.
Update on the Campaign on Ratification, Domestication and
Popularization of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa
By Equality
Now, April to June 2006
Introduction
Below is the latest quarterly
update (April to June 2006) that Equality Now received from SOAWR members who
are working on the campaign for ratification, domestication and popularization
of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. Also included is information
on the status of ratifications, meetings attended by SOAWR members and upcoming
events which may be of interest to SOAWR members.
During this quarter
the Steering Committee approved one more membership application received from
the Centre for Justice Studies and Innovations (CJSI) in Uganda. This brings the
total of SOAWR members to 22. Two additional applications from Liberia and
Somalia are being reviewed.
Country Level Campaigns
Burkina
Faso
Voix de Femmes reported that the Chief of State of Burkina Faso signed
the Decree of Promulgation of the law authorizing ratification of the Protocol
on the Rights of Women in Africa on March 31, 2006. The only step that remains
is depositing the instrument of ratification with the African Union. The deposit
document has been prepared and was sent to the Secretariat of the Government and
was signed by the Chief of State on June 16, 2006. Currently, the document is
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is responsible for sending it to the
African Union Commission through Burkina Faso’s Embassy in Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, Voix de Femmes continues with activities to raise awareness
about the Protocol and they have integrated these activities within the scope of
their program regarding women’s rights and violence against women. They hold
2-hour educational sessions three times a month on Thursday afternoons for women
who have domestic issues including marriage, divorce and inheritance. Youth and
students also benefit from these sessions.
Ethiopia
IAC is planning
two workshops, the first in September 2006 for legislators and parliamentarians
on the domestication of the Protocol and other legal instruments. IAC
anticipates there will be 56 participates from IAC’s 28 member countries. The
objective is to train the participants on advocacy for ratification or
enforcement in their respective countries of the Protocol and other legal
instruments which protect women and children. The second conference is a
regional youth forum which will be held during 21-25 November 2006, and will
include 56 youths from the 28 IAC countries. The objective is to reinforce youth
networks which were established in 2000 to campaign against female genital
mutilation, and to train them on communication and validate a youth training
manual developed by IAC. A specific session on the Protocol and its application
is also on the conference agenda.
The Gambia
In April, the African
Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) reported that the Gambia
has removed the reservations that it has earlier place on four articles of the
Protocol. The African Union Commission has, however, not officially received
this revision from the Gambian Government. ACDHRS is following up on
this.
The ACDHRS organized and hosted the NGO forum during the 39th
Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). The
Forum, which brought about 135 participants and facilitators together, noted
that this year is the 25th Anniversary of the African Commission on Human and
Peoples’ Rights. The Forum addressed several themes including new developments
in the human rights and democracy situation in Africa. While Africa has seen
significant and positive developments in human rights and democracy in this
time, improvement is necessary with respect to human rights, good governance,
and the rule of law. The Forum commended the participation of civil society
organizations working throughout Africa to encourage the African Union to take
responsibility for the enhancement and promotion of human rights. It noted the
significance of the entry into force of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in
Africa, congratulated the countries which have ratified it, and urged those who
have not yet done so to ratify without delay. Strategies for the ratification
and implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women
in Africa were exchanged as a basis for future collaboration. The NGOs attending
the Forum expressed need to collaborate on efforts to advocate for ratification,
domestication, and implementation. In a statement read by Hannah Forster on
behalf of the NGO’s, attending the Forum, at the opening of the ACHPR, the NGO’s
congratulated The Gambia for lifting its reservations to the Protocol. The NGO
statement urged States to implement the African Union’s Solemn Declaration on
Gender Equality in Africa at the national level.
The First Meeting of
the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights - The office of the African Union
Commission Legal Counsel convened a meeting during the African Union Summit for
the purpose of swearing in the newly elected judges and to brief them on the
African Union Commission’s work especially on its working relations with the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The court has not elected a
president yet which was deferred to September 2006 in Addis Ababa.
Guinea
Conakry
Though Guinea was among the first countries whose Parliament approved
ratification of the Protocol, thanks to the strong mobilization efforts led by
CPTAFE and its partners on the ground, to date Guinea has not yet officially
deposited its instrument of ratification with the African Union Commission. The
delay is attributed to the current political crisis where the President has been
ill for several months now.
Convinced that the Protocol must first be
fully accepted by the community in general and women in particular, CPTAFE
engaged in an immense sensitization campaign. It identified 30 young women, 30
young men, 30 older women and 30 older men throughout the country. These 120
people underwent a full day of training on the Protocol. Upon return to their
communities, these trained people undertook a vast education campaign on the
Protocol focusing on the following components: origin and genesis, contents,
achievement in the field of women’s human rights, regional character, and
necessity of personal engagement of women in the fight for their rights.
Interactive broadcasts on community radio were organized in four regions of
Guinea.
CPTAFE succeeded in including the popularization of the Protocol
in all its social projects in Guinea. Parallel to this work in the field, staff
and volunteers went door to door to the decision-makers and advocated for the
deposit of the instrument of ratification. In the past year, Guinea has changed
government three times and the Minster of Foreign Affairs, who is specifically
responsible for the Protocol, has changed four times. CPTAFE met with the
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Health, Interior and Social
Affairs and sensitized them all on the necessity to support the domestication of
the Protocol.
On 12 May 2006, Guinean Radio and Television organized a
large debate on the subject of the ratification and application of the Protocol
in Guinea and Africa. This program, which brought together Guinean specialists
from government and civil society, allowed for wide scale dissemination of
information to the public on the progress that has been achieved for human
rights in general and women’s rights in particular.
Following the last
meeting of the Board of CPTAFE and their partners held on 29 June 2006, it was
proposed that CPTAFE would use theatre, a method of popularization which has had
a lot of success in the fight against FGM, to popularize the Protocol in the
public domain.
Kenya
COVAW, together with the new members of SOAWR in
Kenya, FIDA Kenya and Women Direct, has been following up the process for
ratification with the Ministry of Gender. Information received from the Ministry
of Gender and the Ministry of Foreign affairs indicates that the Ministry of
Gender presented a memo to the Cabinet advocating ratification of the Protocol.
The Cabinet approved the memo, but apparently the Ministry of Gender had
proposed reservations on Article 10 on the right to development and peace, and
Article 14 on reproductive and sexual rights. However, the Ministry of Foreign
affairs, which is responsible for depositing the instrument with the African
Union Commission, referred the whole process back to the Ministry of Gender
citing the reservations to be in contradiction with existing government
policies.
Though it is indeed very unfortunate that the process of
ratification is at a slow pace, there is at least some positive indication that
when the process goes through, it will happen without reservations. At the time
of publication, it is not clear how far along the process has gone.
Nevertheless, recently the Minister for Gender cited the ratification of the
Protocol as one of the deliverables of his Ministry. There is goodwill from
policy and key decision-makers. Members of SOAWR in Kenya will continue to
encourage the Ministry of Gender to accelerate the process and deliver the
ratification instrument to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequently to
the African Union Commission.
COVAW had an inaugural meeting with the new
members of SOAWR in Kenya - FIDA and Women Direct. An output of the meeting was
the formulation of joint activities for the popularization of the Protocol and
the first joint activity will be held on 6 July 2006, which will be a civil
society half-day forum to disseminate information on the Protocol’s provisions.
COVAW has produced a publication entitled “A new Era for Women’s Rights in
Africa” which is a simplified version of the Protocol. It is hoped that the
implementation of these joint strategies will go a long way in popularizing the
Protocol in Kenya.
Aside from its participation with COVAW and Women
Direct in the group activities, FIDA-Kenya is consulting with the Law Society of
Kenya on the possibility of disseminating the Protocol during its annual
conference in August to create awareness within the legal fraternity. FIDA Kenya
is also preparing a summary sheet, "Highlights on the Protocol to the African
Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa," which it
will share at the 6 July 2006 civil society half-day forum.
The Women
Direct Service Centre is presently developing an advocacy brochure entitled
Ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. Appreciating the language
diversity in each of the countries in its network and the need for all
stakeholders to understand the multi-level advocacy interventions that need to
be made, the brochure has been translated into Kiswahili, French, and Amharic
and will be disseminated widely throughout its partner countries which include:
Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
During the Women
Direct mid-year review meeting held from 29-30 May 2006 in Nairobi, the Women
Direct collaborating partners from the six countries held a session on work
around the Protocol. In the meeting, partners had an opportunity to:
•
Review the work that had been done in their countries surrounding the Protocol
by their own and other organizations,
• Determine how they can combine their
efforts with other SOAWR coalition members to demand the ratification and
domestication of the Protocol.
• Share different strategies and
interventions that can be employed in their countries.
• Formalize their
engagement as Women Direct partners in the Coalition and
• Develop a
petition letter to use for advocacy at national level (addressed to relevant
ministries and members of parliament) and regional level.
Mali
The
Association des Juristes Maliennes (AJM) held two training sessions in Bamako on
the Protocol. In December 2005 the training included 60 lawyers and 60
magistrates, because although the Protocol has been adopted, many lawyers and
judges do not know about it or its entry into force. AJM distributed copies of
the Protocol to all the participants. In April 2006, AJM held a workshop for
members of civil society including traditional communicators, religious leaders,
and members of parliament. Currently there is a case being tried in the Court of
Bamako using the Protocol as a mechanism to help secure equal distribution of
assets between a man and woman after divorce. The case has not yet been decided,
but AJM is waiting to see how judges respond to the use of provisions of the
Protocol in civil courts. AJM hopes to continue to train lawyers and judges in
other regions throughout Mali once they have secured funding.
With
regard to the domestication of the provisions of the Protocol into local law,
through the workshop and training of parliamentarians AJM has begun urging
parliamentarians to vote for a bill of the Family Code whose contents conform to
the Protocol.
Namibia
Sister Namibia continues to popularize the
Protocol through its monthly publication entitled “Sister Namibia.” Copies are
available on request. Write to Sister Namibia: sister@iafrica.com.na
Sister
Namibia participated in a ten-day training session in Banjul, Gambia, organized
by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and introduced the
Protocol to the participants. The training was designed to enable participants
to engage with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights during its
39th Session, as well as with fellow human rights activists at the NGO Forum
preceding the Session.
The participants, which included LGBT activists
and partners from other human rights organizations from nine African countries,
considered the following questions during the training session: How inclusive is
the Charter of the rights of sexual minorities in Africa? What role can the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights play in protecting and promoting
the equal rights of LGBT people in Africa?
Sister Namibia also introduced
the African Charter and the Protocol to the participants of the Second Lesbian
Leadership Institute held by the Coalition of African Lesbians in Johannesburg
from June 12-16, 2006, which was attended by women representing lesbian or LGBT
organizations from 10 African countries.
Niger
On June 3, 2006,
Niger’s parliament voted down the ratification of the Protocol. Government
spokesman Mohamed Ben Omar told the state daily newspaper, The Sahel: “The
rejection of the motion is a serious setback for Niger, but this is a proper
application of democratic principles.” The government of Niger approved the
Protocol in January, but lawmakers rejected it in June by 42 votes to 31, with
four abstentions. Many Members of Parliament expressed concerns about the
Protocol on issues of reproductive rights, the freedom for women to choose how
many children to have, abortion rights and inheritance rights. Niger is the
first African country to refuse to ratify the Protocol in its entirety.
During a launch of SOAWR/AUC book and at a Press Conference held at the
African Union Summit meeting in Banjul, SOAWR members expressed regret that
members of the National Assembly of Niger rejected the Protocol in its entirety.
On behalf of SOAWR, Hawa Ba of Fahamu stated, “The decision sets a dangerous
precedent for the countries that are yet to sign or ratify the Protocol and
undermines the commitment made by the heads of the states of the AU to guarantee
gender equality in all spheres of life.” SOAWR members also approached the
Gambian Vice President to assist in bringing this concern to the Head of State
of Niger. The Vice President undertook to speak to her counterpart. In addition,
SOAWR discussed the matter with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women,
Commissioner Angela Melo, who said she would plan a mission to Niger after two
months when elections in the country would have ended. Oxfam GB also invited an
activist from Niger who took part in the advocacy interventions held during the
summit and she undertook that her organization would advocate to reverse the
current decision and she will team up with Commissioner Melo when she goes
there.
Nigeria
Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) has done some
media advocacy this quarter relating to the Protocol and has submitted a
proposal to the African Women’s Development Fund for a sensitization program on
the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.
In June 2006, HURILAWS
received approval for funding from the European Union to carry out a project on
women’s inheritance rights in southeast Nigeria, which will also address the
need for the Nigerian government to domesticate the Protocol on the Rights of
Women in Africa.
Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative
(WRAPA) reported that domestication advocacy was delayed because Executive and
Legislative activities in Nigeria were stalled from February to May due to
ongoing constitutional debates. The implication of this in relation to WRAPA’s
project is that there was little focus on or willingness to address any issue,
either at Executive and Legislative levels, unless the issue was related to the
subject of the constitutional amendment. WRAPA will start the sensitization
activities in the first week of July 2006 ensuring continued engagement and
linkage at all levels to achieve sustainable impact in the domestication
process. WRAPA has secured a commitment for additional financial support from
Action Aid International in Nigeria to offset some of the costs of its
activities in Kaduna and Lokoja.
Senegal
The Inter-African Network for
Women, Media, Gender Equity and Development (FAMEDEV) carried out a presentation
on gender and women’s rights and sensitized journalists on the Protocol on the
Rights of Women in Africa at the Congress of West African Journalists
Association (WAJA) on 4-5 May 2006. FAMEDEV is undertaking a gender and rights
audit of journalist unions, associations, media NGOs, and schools of journalism
in the 16 WAJA member states in collaboration with the International Federation
of Journalists (IFJ). FAMEDEV also participated in the African Women’s Groups
Consultative Meeting in Banjul from 7-8 May 2006. It used the occasion to
discuss the Protocol with its network members in Banjul.
Additionally,
FAMEDEV has hosted visits by young American and French interns interested in
developments in Africa and women’s rights issues. FAMEDEV gives them orientation
in these issues as well as exposes them to work done by SOAWR towards the
ratification and the implementation of the Protocol.
Uganda
Akina Mama wa
Afrika continued with its popularization campaign on the Protocol. It plans to
focus its campaign on four districts in Uganda and is currently in the process
of developing a CD-ROM containing a simplified version of the Protocol which it
plans to use as a communication and education tool for the campaign in these
four districts.
United Kingdom
Fahamu has continued to support the
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Campaign (SOAWR) through the production of
electronic and print materials related to the campaign and the continuation of
an SMS alerts service that distributes information about the Protocol to a
subscriber list of over 1000 people.
A major area of work over the last
quarter has been the completion and publishing of the book, Breathing Life into
the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights in Africa. This book has been
published in both English and French and is available for purchase at
http:// www.africanbookscollective.com/index.html
Fahamu’s
electronic newsletter, Pambazuka News (www.pambazuka.org), has continued to
distribute commentary and analysis related to the Protocol and women's rights.
This has taken the form of special issues or the inclusion of articles in the
usual weekly newsletter.
Two SMS alerts have been sent in the last
quarter:
1. “Protocol on African Women's Rts: Gambia ratifies with no
reservations. To stop SMS alerts reply with 'stop'. More information on women's
rts @ www.pambazuka.org" -
2006-05-08
2. “Seychelles ratifies women's rts protocol. 18 African
countries now ratified. Views on Zuma trial? Send Messages 2 this number 4
posting at www.pambazuka.org” -
2006-05-12
These alerts were distributed to the 1038 mobile phone users
in Africa who have signed up for this service.
Regional Level
Advocacy
SOAWR steering committee members African Centre for Democracy
and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), FEMNET, Equality Now, Fahamu, FAMEDEV, and
member FIDA Kenya under the leadership of the ACDHRS participated in the AU
pre-Summit Women’s Forum as well as organized advocacy interventions of various
natures which are described below. The URL for SOAWR activities available also
on the AU - Gambia website http://www.bjlausummit2006.gm/press/releases/soawr.htm
Public
Forum, 24 June 2006
The Public Forum was hosted by the African Center for
Democracy and Human Rights Studies, a member of SOAWR, during the latest African
Union Summit. The theme of the Forum was The Effect of cultural and traditional
practices in the implementation of instruments promoting women’s rights. There
was a discussion on eradication of harmful traditional practices as a strategy
to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals. The Forum also addressed
issues of HIV and AIDS. The Forum saw the participation of dozens of Gambian
rural women, mobilized and brought by the Gambian Committee on Traditional
Practices Harmful to Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) to participate in the forum,
who spoke of the challenges that they faced with regard to culture and
tradition. They were however hopeful that the removal of reservations to the
Protocol by the Gambia would herald a new era and that the Protocol would be
translated into national law as soon as possible to enable them to claim the
rights espoused in the Protocol. Presentations were made by personalities from
the health and civil society sector with vast experience in addressing these
issues. SOAWR shared its strategies for advocacy for ratification, domestication
and implementation of the Protocol.
Symposium and Book Launch, 25 June
2006
SOAWR members organized a day long Symposium which included a panel
discussion entitled- Does the Protocol compliment the tenets of religion? An
evangelical pastor gave a Christian perspective to issues of women’s rights
noting that there is nowhere in the Bible where the subjugation of women by men
is sanctioned. He noted, citing examples, that the Bible uplifts the status of
women instead. The relevance of the Protocol for rural women was revisited. The
Symposium ended with a report on the emerging strategies towards the
ratification, domestication and implementation of the Protocol.
The
SOAWR book, “Breathing Life into the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights in
Africa” was launched by the Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia that
evening after the Symposium. During the launch, SOAWR congratulated the Gambia
for removing the reservations that it had previously placed on the Protocol. The
launch was moderated by the Director of the AUC’s Women, Gender and Development
Directorate, Ms Winnie Byanyima, who spoke of her recent fact finding mission to
Darfur. She acknowledged the good partnership between the Gender Directorate and
SOAWR and urged SOAWR to continue with its endeavors. In her speech, the vice
president committed to take a lead role in support of SOAWR’s campaign and said
will start engaging her peers on the topic during the summit and post- summit
with a view to accelerating the ratification and domestication of the Protocol.
In response to a request from SOAWR, she also undertook to speak with her
counterpart from Niger in an effort to influence Niger’s decision to reject the
Protocol. The African Union Chairman was represented by Commissioner Djinnit
Said, Commissioner for Peace and Security, who reaffirmed his firm belief in the
rights of women and gender equality. Copies of the book will be sent to SOAWR
members soon.
Courtesy call on the Vice President of the Republic of the
Gambia, 26 June 2006
Members of SOAWR paid a courtesy call on the Vice
President in her office. SOAWR reiterated its requests to the Vice President of
the previous day and presented the Vice President with a green card in
recognition of the removal of the reservations, while also requesting her to
ensure that the African Union Commission is officially informed about the
removal of the Gambia’s reservations. She undertook to follow-up on that.
Press Conference, 27 June 2006
The activities of SOAWR concluded with
a press conference, which was well attended by the media. The BBC and the Pan
African News Agency then interviewed members of SOAWR. The SOAWR events were
covered by the local and international media and were aired on prime time by
Gambia Radio and Television Service (GRTS). The press statement released by
SOAWR is attached.
Status of Ratifications
The following is the status
of signatures and ratification with two additional ratifications by Sychelles
and Zambia and one signatory (The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic). Total
signatories are now 41 and there are 19 ratifications – 3 more signatories and 8
more ratifications than a year ago. The Protocol entered into force on 25
November 2005.
Status of signatures and ratification At June 2005 At June
2006
Total signatures 41
Total ratifications 19
...................
__________________________________________________________________