Message of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission

 H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat 

During the

16 Days of Activism Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Girls

Under the theme:

“From Commitment to Action: A call for Accelerated Action to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa.”

Today, 25^th November, marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence.  While the global theme of the 16 Days Campaign is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”, the  African Union’s Theme is “From Commitment to Action: A call for Accelerated Action to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa.”

I urgently call on African Union Member States and all stakeholders to accelerate action to end violence against women and girls while committing to challenge gender equality in all its forms.

To ensure a future where violence is no longer a barrier to the empowerment and security of women and girls, it is urgent to transform our collective resolve into impactful and concrete measures, that will shape our societies into safe, equitable and inclusive spaces that uphold and protect the rights of women and girls.

As part of the 16 Days of Activism, the 3rd Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity in Leadership to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Africa will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa from November 27^th to November 28^th, 2023. The conference will provide an important platform to assess progress made by Male leadership and allyship to end violence against women and girls on the Continent.

More importantly, the conference will also submit recommendations to be included in the text of the AU Convention on EVAWG. The Convention aims to prevent, punish, and eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls across the Continent. The convention also seeks to achieve several key objectives that include providing legal protection for women and girls against domestic violence, harmful practices, and other forms of violence.

This year’s commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

I urge Member States and stakeholders to put in place tangible actions to end all forms of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls. It is even more crucial for Member States to ensure that there are dedicated budgets allocated to preventing violence against women and girls as well as supporting victims of GBV. 

My commitment to women and girls is total and unwavering. There is no excuse for gender-based violence anywhere.