Africa: More African governments must ratify Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa

In advance of the 43rd anniversary of Africa Women's Day on Sunday, Amnesty International called on African governments that have not yet done so to ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Protocol) quickly and without reservations. The Protocol, adopted on 11 July 2003 by the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government has to date received only 11 ratifications. Fifteen ratifications are required for the Protocol to enter into force. The AU Assembly at its 2nd Summit in 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique expressed a commitment to achieve a speedy and regional wide ratification of the Protocol.