The history of women's struggle for gender equality in Africa and globally is marked by sustained activism and collective action. In 1975, the United Nations proposed the UN Decade for Women, a period during which many women from different backgrounds came together to challenge gender inequality and exclusion from the public sphere. Key moments in this struggle include conferences hosted in Nairobi and Beijing. These events have contributed significantly to the progress made in advancing women's rights.
The Beijing Conference in 1995 was a pivotal moment in the struggle for gender equality. During the conference, a global policy framework for advancing women's rights and gender equality in areas such as health, education, and economic participation was adopted. Governments committed to action and periodic review of progress through processes like the annual Commission on the Status of Women. Around the same time, population conferences were also held, including the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo.
The International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo resulted in the adoption of a Programme of Action that emphasized people's ability to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so. This marked a significant shift from previous discussions on population that solely focused on family planning from a population control perspective. However, many of these hard-won gains are now facing renewed threats from anti-human rights actors.
Across the world, anti-human rights actors are challenging long-standing commitments to gender equality. In Africa, these actors often use the language of culture, tradition, family protection, or national sovereignty to restrict women's autonomy and reinforce traditional hierarchies. In Kenya, policies such as the national policy on family promotion and protection and the Kenya National Health Policy 2022-2032 have been framed as attempts to reduce women's control over their bodies.
The African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the rights of women, also known as the Maputo Protocol, is one of the most significant contributions by Africa to the human rights architecture. The protocol addresses issues affecting women in Africa, including female genital mutilation, political participation, and reproductive health. However, a proposed African Charter on Family Values and Sovereignty risks undermining the influence of the Maputo Protocol.
Human rights organizations such as Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa argue that the proposed charter contradicts the spirit and letter of the Maputo Protocol. The draft charter requires states to review, nullify, and rescind existing legal instruments based on ideological incompatibility. It also delegitimizes gender equality by framing it as ideological and harmful. African leaders may be swayed by the attractive language used to package the proposed charter.
The fundamental question for countries considering committing to such a charter is whose freedoms will be sacrificed on the altar of 'protecting family values and sovereignty.' While the family is an important institution in society, it can also be used to instill harmful stereotypes and reinforce traditional gender roles. African women and those who believe in equality are now urged to collectively push back against anti-human rights attacks.
Key points
- Anti-human rights actors are challenging long-standing commitments to gender equality in Africa.
- The proposed African Charter on Family Values and Sovereignty risks undermining the influence of the Maputo Protocol.
- African women are being urged to collectively push back against anti-human rights attacks.
