Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) on the Rights of Women in Africa was adopted in Maputo in July 2003, eight years after the commencement of the drafting process in Lomé, Togo in March 1995. This event marked a major achievement. However, before entering into force, the Protocol required ratification in fifteen member countries (Article 29). On 26 October 2005, Togo became the fifteenth country to ratify and deposit the Protocol before the Commission of the African Union. The Protocol entered into force a month later on 25 November 2005.

While celebrating this major achievement, the African women's movement remains vigilant in the pursuit of our next objective: the universal ratification of the instrument and its effective implementation. Only then will the status of African women significantly improve.

In pursuit of this objective, the WiLDAF sub-regional office for West Africa has taken the initiative to produce this simplified version of the Protocol, which can be used to educate and raise awareness of women's rights. It is our hope that this document will be of particular use to women's organizations working at the grassroots level in both rural and urban areas.

This initiative is only a first step in the implementation process. We hope that this simplified version will be translated into local languages. WiLDAF welcomes and supports any and all initiatives in this direction.