Equality Now Press Release

Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR), a coalition of groups across Africa campaigning for the popularization, ratification and domestication of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, welcomes the Republic of Zambia’s signature of the Protocol, thereby becoming the 38th country to sign it. However, SOAWR would urge the government of Zambia and those of the other 40 countries that have to date not ratified the Protocol to do so urgently and without reservation. "We applaud Cape Verde, The Comoros, Djibouti, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Libya, Lesotho, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa for their commitment to the human rights of women in Africa through their demonstrative action of ratifying the Protocol, and in recognition of this we have honoured them with Green Cards," said Faiza Mohamed of Equality Now, a coalition member. "Other countries that have not signed (now a total of 13 countries) have been red-carded while those who have merely signed but not taken the additional step to ratify the Protocol (now a total of 28 countries) have been Yellow-carded to mark their failure so far to fulfil their obligations in support of the rights of African women," she added. The ratifications of three more countries are needed for the Protocol to come into force and so be of any real value to the women of Africa. SOAWR calls upon all remaining African Union member states that have not yet ratified the Protocol to heed this urgent call for a speedy ratification and so to turn words into action.

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