Africa: Notice of SOAWR press conference

PRESS ADVISORY FOR PRESS CONFERENCE

PRESS CONFERENCE OF WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS PREPARING FOR THE 6TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE SUMMIT OF THE AFRICAN UNION

WHAT: When the Assembly of the African Union Summit opens later this week, seventeen countries will have ratified the African Union’s Protocol on the Rights of Women. Prominent advocates and policy experts meeting here in Khartoum, Sudan will brief the media on the importance of the Protocol and this Summit for gender equality in Africa and Sudan.

WHO: Prof. Balgis Badri, Director of Women, Gender and Development Institute, Ahfad University for Women

Therese Nyondiko, Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition

Other speakers to be confirmed

WHEN: 19th January 2006, 10.00 a.m-11.30 a.m

WHERE: Sharjah Hall, University Street

For further details about this event and for interviews contact:

Elsin Elsayed +249-912991900 (Arabic and English)
Eve Odete +249-922649044 (French and English)

This press conference is organised by The Ahfad University for Women,
Babikar Badri Scientific Association for Women and The pan African Coalition Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR)

PRESS STATEMENT
Read by Therese Nyondiko, SOAWR

The decision by the African Union to meet in Khartoum this week offers an important opportunity for Africa and Sudan to reflect on the continent’s progress in achieving gender equality, freedom from violence and the rights of women.

The coming into force of the AU Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa on November 25th 2005 offers new possibilities for women and girls across our continent. By the time the Summit opens, seventeen countries from all regions of Africa will have ratified the Protocol. This without doubt marks a significant achievement in the promotion and protection of women’s rights in the continent. We must, together celebrate this achievement.

The Protocol is unlike any other international instrument. For the first time in international law, the Protocol legally prohibits female genital mutilation and the abuse of women in advertising and pornography. It specifically recognises the rights of widows, elderly women, migrant women, marginalised women and women in detention. It also reaffirms the rights of women to be free from gender-based violence in times of conflict and to seek political office.

Thirty-six African countries have not yet ratified the Protocol. We shall engage the leadership in these states over this Summit and at home to demonstrate their commitment to the rights of women in Africa, by ratifying the Protocol without any further delay.

We also call on those governments that have already ratified the Protocol to domesticate and harmonise the provisions of the Protocol with their national laws. The coming into force of the Protocol is the first step in securing the protection of women’s human rights in Africa. However, in a continent where millions of women and girls are locked out of education and subjected to harmful cultural practises, the two major themes of this Summit, we call upon those who have ratified the Protocol to make sure that the reality in their country reflects the promise of this Protocol.

We in SOAWR are committed to work with our sisters in the Ahfad University for Women and Babikar Badri Scientific Association for Women to make sure Sudan is not left behind by the rest of Africa.

Ends

Issued 19th January 2005

PRESS BRIEFING
Issued 19th January 2005
Women’s Organisations launch their preparations for the African Union Summit and announce public meeting on Saturday 21st January

At a press conference attended by Sudanese, African and international media on 19th January, women’s organisations launched their preparations for the Summit of the African Union. The conference was attended by representatives from the Ahfad University for Women, Sudan’s oldest educational institution for the education of women, the Babikar Badri Scientific Association for Women and the Pan African coalition, The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR).

At the conference, Therese Nyondiko of the Pan African Coalition Solidarity for African Women’s Rights working in nineteen countries said, “The coming into force of the AU Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa on November 25th 2005 offers new possibilities for women and girls across our continent. By the time the Summit opens, seventeen countries from all regions of Africa will have ratified the Protocol.” She went on to say “This without doubt marks a significant achievement in the promotion and protection of women’s rights in the continent. We must, together celebrate this achievement.”

Sudanese civil society organisations also spoke about the relevance of the Protocol for sustained peace and development in all parts of Sudan. Prof. Balgis Badri, Director of Women, Gender and Development Institute spoke of the need to campaign for the remaining thirty-six African countries that have not yet ratified the Protocol. She said, “Sudan is one of the 36 countries that have not ratified the Protocol. As the host of this Summit, we must accelerate our commitment to this important policy. I shall be encouraging my Government to publicly announce their commitment to ratify the Protocol at this Summit. Sudan must not be left behind by the rest of Africa.”

She also announced that the Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman will host an all day public symposium on Saturday January 21st The meeting will bring together African and Sudanese scholars, policy makers and policy analysts to examine Strategies for Ratification, Implementation and popularisation of the African Union Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

For further information and interviews in French, Arabic and English contact
Elsin Elsayed +249-912991900 (Arabic and English) or Eve Odete +249-922649044 (French/English)

This press conference is organised by The Ahfad University for Women,
Babikar Badri Scientific Association for Women and The pan African Coalition Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR)