Egypt Must Ratify African Women’s Rights Protocol

Press Release—On the occasion of the African Union Summit in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights coalition calls on the Egyptian government to immediately sign and ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.

To date 23 African countries have ratified the Protocol on African Women’s Rights. The lack of widespread ratification undermines the universal achievement of continental standards on women’s rights.

In Egypt, women human rights defenders have tirelessly called on the Egyptian government to protect and promote the rights of women in the area of family law, civil and political rights, as well as economic and social rights. On the occasion of the African Union summit being held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights coalition (SOAWR) urges the Egyptian government to further its commitment to the promotion and protection of women’s rights by depositing its ratification of the Protocol on African Women’s Rights to the African Union Commission and proceed to domesticating and implementing its provisions.

SOAWR further calls on the Government of Egypt to commit to uniting African peoples across gender by upholding respect for women’s rights and equality of opportunities for both men and women, which are at the heart of the principles of unity, democracy and accountability on the continent.

For more information, please contact: Caroline Muthoni Muriithi - 018 680 3569

SOAWR is a regional network of 29 civil society organisations and development partners across Africa working towards the promotion and protection of women’s human rights in Africa.

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