Niamey Call to Action and Commitment onEliminating Harmful Practices 

Introduction

The 3rd African Girls’ Summit, bringing together representatives from 35 African Union Member States, more than 100 Young Adolescent Girls and more than 1500 stakeholders – including International Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, Traditional and Religious Leaders; hosted by the Government of the Republic of Niger and the African Union Commission from 16th to 18th November, 2021; under the theme: “Culture, Human Rights and Accountability – Accelerating Elimination of Harmful Practices”, pronounces the following outcome and commitments of the Summit - to be referred to as the “Niamey Call to Action and Commitment on Eliminating Harmful Practices”; 

Preamble 

1. Recalling Africa’s Transformative Agenda 2063 on the “Africa We Want”; the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and its Protocol on the Rights of Women - Maputo Protocol; the Maputo Plan of Action on the Operationalisation of the Continental Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development; and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa; 
2. Reaffirming the Ouagadougou Call to Action on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation of 2018; and the Cairo Call to Action on Ending Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation of 2019;
3. Considering that globally, more than 200 million women alive today have been subjected to female genital mutilation, with Africa accounting for more than 80% of global prevalence; and more than 650 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday, where Africa accounts for more than 125 million of these cases; 
4. Noting with Concern that more than 50 million girls below 15 years of age are at risk of being subjected to female genital mutilation by 2030 in Africa if current trends are not addressed; and projecting that, with the addition of the COVID 19 pandemic, up to 2 million additional cases of female genital mutilation, and 10 million child marriage cases are anticipated by 2030;
5. Considering the need to preserve and celebrate Africa’s arts, values and cultural heritage that promote the rights and welfare of women and girls; and the critical role of creative arts in efforts to address harmful practices, such as Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation through dialogues and social, behavioural change interventions;
6. Recalling the declaration of the AU Theme of the Year 2021 on Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building, “the Africa We Want”, and the commitment by African Governments to leverage on arts to induce socio economic transformation on the continent;
7. Noting the critical need for accountability at all levels, including on legislation, policy, programmes, service delivery, information, community engagement, and resource commitment in effort to shift and accelerate actions towards the complete elimination of harmful practices in Africa; and 
8. Aligning with the global consensus that female genital mutilation and child marriage are harmful practices and some of the worse forms of gender-based violence; 
9. Note with Appreciation the support and hospitality of the Government of the Republic of Niger, through the Ministry for the Promotion of Women and the Protection of the Child, and under the auspices of H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger;