Parallel Session at the Maputo Protocol @20 Anniversary, Nairobi – Kenya Dates: 11 July 2023
Women’s International Peace Centre in collaboration with Oxfam International convened a parallel session at the 20th anniversary commemoration of the ground-breaking AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). The objectives of the event were twofold. First, the session provided a unique platform for civil society organisations (CSOs) to examine the progress, challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the Maputo Protocol, with a particular focus on Article 10 on the Right to Peace and Article 11 on the Protection of Women in Armed Conflict.
Secondly, the session underscored the importance of advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda within the SOAWR[1] coalition considering recent crises, such as the Sudan conflict which has vividly demonstrated how women comprise the highest proportion of marginalised individuals exposed to conflict-related sexual violence and various forms of gender-based violence. The session sought to shed light on these pressing issues, reiterating their critical nature and pushing for the inclusion of the WPS Agenda at the top tier of the SOAWR coalition’s agenda.
This report provides a summary of the perspectives and insights shared during the meeting, identifying common trends across Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan and at the regional level and highlights recommendations for collectively advancing women’s peace and security in Africa.
Download : WIPC_Report_Maputo Protocol20 Anniversary Event (1)