MEDIA ADVISORY

In Country Advocacy Mission for the Ratification of Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights and Capacity Building Workshop on Human Rights and Women, Peace and Security

When: 24th – 28th November, 2019
Where: Khartoum, Sudan
Venue: EWA KHARTOUM Hotel
Time: 8.00 am-5.00 pm

WHO: Government institutions; the Ministry in Charge of Gender and Women’s Affairs; the Sovereign Council; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Peace Commission, Civil Society Organizations and UN Agencies such as Office of the High Commission for Human Rights and UN WOMEN among other.

Background:

The African Union Commission (AUC) undertook a High-Level Solidarity Mission to the Republic of Sudan between 26 and 30 August, 2019. The Solidarity Mission, led by the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security (OSE on WPS), H.E. Mme Bineta Diop was aimed at supporting the women of Sudan in their endeavors for a democratic, peaceful and inclusive Sudan, which incorporates women in decision-making at all levels.

Supported by the African Union Liaison Office in Sudan (AULOS), the Mission met with Sudanese women leaders from across the broad spectrum of society including young people and academics; senior government officials including, H.E. The Prime Minister, women Members of the Sovereign Council, and the interim Minister of Foreign Affairs; as well as AU Ambassadors; and the United Nations Agencies. The leadership of Sudan acknowledged the leading role that women played during the revolution and reiterated commitment to promote and protect women’s rights, including ratifying and implementing regional and women’s rights instruments as well as ensuring women’s effective, equal and full participation in peace processes and in the new government.

Among the key requests to the AUC, was support to strengthen the country’s human rights protection institutions and reform laws to comply with international and continental women’s rights standards, including ratification of the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights. There was also a specific request for support for the development of a Women, Peace and Security Framework, including a National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

As a follow up to the Solidarity Mission, the women of Sudan attended and addressed the Open Session of the African Union Peace and Security Council on 17 October, 2019 at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and participated in a one-day sensitization workshop on the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. The outcome of the workshop was a reiterated request for a more extensive capacity building training for women leaders to strengthen their capacity to advocate and campaign for the ratification of Maputo Protocol and for inclusion in peace and security processes.

It is in this regard that Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (SRRWA); the Gender, Peace and Security Programme (GPSP); the Solidarity for African Women's Rights (SOAWR) Network; and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will conduct an In-country Advocacy Mission and a Capacity Building Workshop in Sudan from 24 to 20 November, 2019 in Khartoum, Sudan.

The In-country Advocacy Mission is also undertaken within the framework of the “All for Maputo Protocol Programme”, which seeks to promote the universal ratification, domestication and implementation of the Maputo Protocol by the end of the African Women’s Decade in 2020.

Objectives:

• To engage relevant government institutions and individuals, women’s rights and other civil society organizations to better understand the bottlenecks towards ratifying and/or depositing the instruments of ratification and provide the requisite push and technical support.
• To mobilize all stakeholders in government and civil society around a common goal of ratifying the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights and once ratified, domesticate and implement it;
• To secure a commitment from the government on a timeframe/ roadmap for ratification and deposition of instruments of ratification to the AUC.

Outcomes:

• All stakeholders fully mobilized around a common goal of ratifying, domesticating and implementing Maputo Protocol;
• Commitment and timeline/roadmap for Maputo Protocol ratification and deposition of instruments to the AUC secured;
• Knowledge and information on Women’s Rights and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Frameworks provided;

For media enquiry please contact:
Ms. Susan Nyabena/ Junior Programme Officer/ Women Gender and Development Directorate. Email: nyabenaS@africa-union.org Tell : +0944-083113
Ms. Afrah Thabit / Communication Officer / Directorate of Information and communication E mail; Thabitma@africa-union.org Tell : +251911-200922

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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