Update from Addis Ababa

An update on the campaign for the ratification of the Protocol on the Rights
Contributor
08.07.2004

Mary Wandia (FEMNET) and I have worked closely with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women, Commissioner Angela Melo, in lobbying the governments and regularly exchanged information and ideas. The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs also went around speaking to countries about ratification. We got two ratifications (Libya and Rwanda) since coming to Addis Ababa.

Yesterday [06 July] the President of Botswana [Festus Mogae], during a debate on gender, announced that his country will sign, ratify and implement the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.

The Assembly is adopting a declaration on gender and it includes a commitment to ratify the Protocol by the end of 2004; and no country objected to this deadline.

We reached out to all the countries that have signed the Protocol as well as most of those who didn't. The news is encouraging. Most countries seem to have started the process of ratification though they are at different stages of discussion. Mary and I are very optimistic that it would come into force by December 2004; but a lot also depends on the national campaigns. Mary will send around the declaration that is being adopted by the heads of state and that could be used in the national campaigns to remind the authorities of their commitment.

The Special Issue of Pambazuka News (Pambazuka News 162) to support the campaign on ratification of the Protocol on the Rights of Women was a very useful campaign tool. It became popular at the African Union meeting.

Aside from lobbying we did several interviews with the press highlighting the campaign. As you all would agree, media is a powerful tool to use for the campaign and we hope that everybody will be engaging the national media to keep up the pressure on governments. Feel free to use information from the special issue of Pambazuka News. Likewise, you can reproduce the petition and make it specific to your country. Please continue to spread the petition to publicise it and get as many signatures as possible.

Faiza Mohamed
Equality Now