Reviewing Gender Equality

This speech was delivered by Ms. Faiza Mohamed of Equality Now to the High-Level Panel to Review the African Union on October 24th in Addis Ababa.

“Dear esteemed members of the high panel,

Let me add my voice to those of my colleagues and thank you for receiving us today.

Aside from my organization, Equality Now, I also appear in front of you on behalf of the Solidarity for African women’s rights (SOAWR), a Pan African coalition of 26 organizations who are working in over 20 countries in Africa.

SOAWR has, in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), vigorously campaigned for the speedy ratification of the African Union Protocol on the Rights of women. The Protocol’s entry into force on 25th November 2005 marked a historical achievement as it was the fastest human rights instrument ever to come into force in half the time it took other similarly important instruments.

This collaboration of SOAWR and the AUC is explicit enough of the complementary roles that the AUC and Civil Society organizations (CSO) can play leading to a successful achievement. While we can all celebrate this achievement sadly many more countries, 31 to be exact, are yet to ratify it and which means therefore AU is not seriously keeping up to its commitment to African women at the eve of the second anniversary of the Protocol’s entry into force.

Likewise, many other treaties, declarations and policies have been adopted by the Assembly but most remain ineffective for lack of commitment to implement on the part of the AU member states. It is high time that priority is given to implement ion and that the next five years of the AUC be devoted to ensure that it is realized. We urge the high level panel to consider recommending that to the AU and also giving the AUC a mandate to see through to the implementation of the summit decisions by member states; and especially that all member states ratify and domesticate all the AU/OAU treaties. It is important that a proper mechanism is set up at the AUC and ably staffed to ensure that in five years’ time the said objectives are realized. Secondly, AU should seriously consider imposing sanctions on member states that do not deliver on their commitments to ratify and domesticate all the AU/OAU protocols. I understand at the present member states are imposed with sanctions only when they fail to pay their dues; so it will be equally important to also impose sanctions on them if they are not living up to the decisions reached by the AU.

My second point of intervention is the lack of seriousness in implementing the gender equality agenda as obligated in the AU Consecutive Act and as committed to by the Heads of State in their Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa.

The Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) remains to be the weakest unit in the AUC → not well resourced and one year since the departure of the former director the position is yet to be filled. Please investigate into what the difference/impact is when an important position as this is left vacant. Look at it in terms of resources mobilization, staff capacity and program implementation.

Out of the ten professional positions only four are currently filled. What is keeping the AUC from advertising the post of the WGDD Director? We understand that recently 50 positions were advertised but did not include the WGDD Director.

It is also of concern that out of the 15 positions of directors only 6 are currently held by women whereas before it was a ratio of 7 women to 8 men. We would like to see this balance maintained as committed to by the AUC.

Look also at the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) and Executive Council (EC); how many are women ambassadors and women ministers in each? We urge that the same framework that was applied when electing the AUC commissioners be used whereby each region is asked to come up with a balance of men and women in appointments to PRC and EC so that AU could achieve the parity objective.

I thank you for your attention.”

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