Statement: 77th session of the Africa Commission on Human Rights and People’s Rights

This statement was read by FIDA Kenya on behalf of the AWESOME consortium during the 77th session of the Africa Commission on Human Rights and People’s Rights (ACHPR) on 20 October 2023. Focused on the status of women’s rights in Africa it strongly calls for the Africa Union (AU) member states to deliver their commitments to gender equality.

FIDA Kenya welcomes the opportunity to engage with the Commission at this 77 convening of the African Commission.  

FIDA Kenya, representing the AWESOME Consortium consisting of Women’s Rights Organizations in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, would like to bring your attention to the state of Human Rights in Africa, particularly with a focus on women’s rights. While we acknowledge that some progress has been made in certain countries, it is imperative to recognize that there is much work yet to be done to ensure the full realization of human rights across the continent. Governments should prioritize the safeguarding of human rights, foster good governance, and reinforce the independence of the judicial system. 

We express deep concern regarding the ongoing violations of women and girls’ rights in Africa, which include the widespread instances of gender-based violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation. National statistics indicate that child marriage, forced marriage, and gender-based violence persist due to regressive cultural norms and practices, limited access to education and information, and gender inequality, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities. It is crucial to acknowledge that the intersection of poverty, disability, and gender heightens the risk of gender-based violence. Girls and women with disabilities are particularly susceptible to sexual violence due to the challenges they face in hearing, understanding, communicating, seeing, or defending themselves. Additionally, societal and environmental factors further compound these difficulties. While awareness campaigns, and advocacy organizations strive to shift societal attitudes and empower individuals to challenge harmful practices, we urge all AU Member States to enact and enforce laws that safeguard women’s rights, bolster access to justice, and enhance gender equality through the empowerment of women. 

There is concern over the limited access to quality education and healthcare in many African countries. We urge Member States to give paramount importance to these sectors, remove obstacles hindering access to educational and healthcare facilities, and guarantee the provision of affordable, high-quality services to all individuals across Africa without any form of discrimination. 

Regarding the civic space, we are deeply concerned about the persistent impact of stringent legislation on the ability of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to operate in Africa. Many African nations have enacted and enforced strict laws mandating CSOs to register with governmental authorities for legal operation, or have imposed restrictions on their ability to receive foreign funding. These challenges, compounded by civil unrest and humanitarian crises, such as the situation in Ethiopia, are jeopardizing the well-being, livelihoods, and rights of women and girls across diverse backgrounds. In Uganda, the continued enforcement of the Public Order Management Act (POMA) further hampers CSOs’ capacity to rally citizens for the advancement of public causes. 

In summary, we thus urge all African governments to adopt measures that guarantee their full participation in social, economic, cultural, and political life – while safeguarding the collective rights of their citizenry including women and girls in all their diversities. 

Further we urge the member states represented here and more so the governments of Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia to adopt and implement the ILO (International Labour Organization) 190 Convention to address violence and harassment in the workplace and to provide safe and respectful working environment for all. Lastly, we call for the entrenchment and recognition of Women’s rights to Participation and Leadership. 

A full copy of the statement can be downloaded on this link.

About AWESOME Programme

AWESOME – Advancing Women’s Engagement: Strengthening Opportunities to Mobilise for Equality – is a 5-year advocacy programme to support women’s movements in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to work in partnership, and be strengthened and more representative of diverse groups of women, with a focus on the equal participation of women with disabilities in feminist movements.