On 17 October 2024, the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria collaborated with other stakeholders to commemorate 25 years of the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (Special Rapporteur). The event was hosted on the side-lines of the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa taking place in Banjul, the Gambia. The other partners of the event were IPAS and Equality Now.
The celebration presented an opportunity to reflect on the gains made within the African Human Rights System on women and girls rights in execution of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women. Joining the current mandate holder, Hon. Commissioner and Vice-Chairperson Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, were two former holders of the mandate, Hon. Commissioner Soyata Maiga and Hon. Commissioner Lucy Asuagbor. The mandate holders spoke on various aspects of the evolution and vision of the mechanism. Hon. Commissioner Maiga considered the historical significance and foundational importance of the SRRWA by exploring its inception and early years. Hon. Commissioner Asuagbor thereafter assessed the impact of the soft laws, including Resolutions, developed within the framework of the SRRWA. Reflections by the Hon Commissioner Manuela were presented by her Legal Officer, Mr Maulo Nfinda Dombaxi, Legal Officer, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, who emphasised the pivotal role that collaboration with other stakeholders on the continent has enabled the gains made by the mandate of the SRRWA.
The Centre has supported the mandate of the Special Rapporteur over the years, including in the development of soft laws and resolutions, advocacy to increase the quantity and quality of the state reports on the implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the Maputo Protocol, supporting the development of the state reporting guidelines for state parties to the Maputo Protocol, and, with other stakeholders and gender activists, and supporting the development of guidelines on shadow reporting on the ACHPR.
It is commendable that the AU normative framework on gender equality includes several binding and non-binding policy documents, treaties and declarations. These are African Charter, the Maputo Protocol, Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (2018-2028), the AU Gender Mainstreaming Strategic Plan, the Solemn Declaration of Gender Equality in Africa, the Ouagadougou Declaration. In addition to these, there are normative standards relative to gender equality to which AU member states are bound within their respective sub-regional organisations and at the international level. Most recently added to this framework is the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (Free Trade Agreement), which is a flagship output of the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
As AU Member States and regional mechanisms grapple with how to realise the gender-related objectives of the development agenda and the Free Trade Agreement, the Centre calls on them to take cognisance of the pivotal role that the mechanism of the SRRWA can play in the domestication, monitoring and evaluation of state measures implemented in this regard. The work of the mechanisms so far is a solid foundation upon which to support the gender equality aspirations of the AU, including those articulated in the Free Trade Agreement.
The Centre congratulates the ACHPR, and the Special Rapporteur for this incredible milestone. We are grateful for the fruitful and robust relationship we have had with Special Rapporteur over the years, and renew our commitment for even more robust collaboration into the future.
For more information, please contact:

Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 4306
matilda.lasseko-phooko@up.ac.za