The African Women's Protocol Harnessing a Potential Force for Positive Change

by Mukasa, Rosemary Semufumu; Gawaya, Rose; Banze, Alice

• ISBN13: 9781920196080
• ISBN10: 1920196080
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-04-01
• Publisher: Jacana Media

Summary

On 25 November 2005, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa entered into force, after receiving its 15th ratification. This marked a milestone in the protection and promotion of women's rights in Africa, creating new rights for women in terms of international standards. This groundbreaking Protocol, for the first time in international law, explicitly sets forth the reproductive right of women to medical abortion when pregnancy results from rape or incest or when the continuation of pregnancy endangers the health or life of the mother. In another first, the Protocol explicitly calls for the legal prohibition of female genital mutilation, and prohibits the abuse of women in advertising and pornography. The Protocol sets forth a broad range of economic and social welfare rights for women. The rights of particularly vulnerable groups of women, including widows, elderly women, disabled women and 'œwomen in distress,' which includes poor women, women from marginalized populations groups, and pregnant or nursing women in detention are specifically recognized. In this important study, through careful research and in-depth investigation of three African countries, South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique, Oxfam evaluates the impact of the protocol and sets out a road map for the way forward. Published by Fanele, an imprint of Jacana Media. Distributed by Oxfam Publishing

Author Biography

Rosemary Semufumu Mukasa is a lead researcher at Oxfam GB, an organization dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Rose Gawaya is a regional advisor at Oxfam GB. Alice Banze is an advocacy officer at Oxfam GB.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. viii
Acknowledgements	p. ix
List of Acronyms	p. xi
Overview
Executive Summary	p. 3
The Situation of Women	p. 16
Comparative Analysis of the Protocol to Selected International Instruments and Policy Documents	p. 27
Implications of the Protocol	p. 43
Awareness about the Protocol	p. 67
Threats and Challenges	p. 72
Best Practices	p. 79
Lessons and Conclusions	p. 84
Research Recommendations	p. 89
Country Recommendations	p. 93
South African Country Report
Summary	p. 109
Introduction	p. 113
Methodology	p. 116
Literature Review	p. 118
Implications of the Protocol for the Thematic Areas under Examination	p. 169
Awareness about the Protocol	p. 180
Challenges	p. 182
Achievements and Best Practices	p. 186
Conclusions	p. 189
Recommendations	p. 192
Zambian Country Report
Foreword	p. 207
Summary	p. 209
Introduction	p. 211
Literature Review	p. 214
Thematic Situation of Women in Zambia	p. 224
Analysis of National and International Policy Documents	p. 236
Implications for the Protocol	p. 244
Challenges	p. 248
Achievements and Best Practices	p. 249
Conclusions and Recommendations	p. 252
Mozambican Country Report
Summary	p. 257
Introduction	p. 259
Methodology	p. 266
Literature Review	p. 268
The African Women's Protocol	p. 274
Challenges	p. 284
Overall Summary
The Six Best Practices	p. 289
Conclusions and Recommendations	p. 291
The Way Forward: Some Practical Considerations for the Protocol	p. 293
Using Lobbying Opportunities Given by the UN Through CSW Meetings	p. 297
List of Key Respondents	p. 301
Checklist for Research Questions	p. 308
Plan of Action of the Policy Research on the African Union Women's Protocol-Southern African Region	p. 315
Bibliography	p. 316
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