Violence against women and girls in Africa remains a critical issue, with approximately one in three women and girls aged 15 to 49 experiencing physical or sexual violence. In response, the African Union (AU) adopted its Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in 2025, marking a significant step forward. However, women’s rights organizations have expressed concerns that the treaty may not go far enough and may even undermine existing protections. These groups are calling for the AU to strengthen its framework to ensure meaningful and lasting progress.
While the African continent has one of the most progressive regional frameworks addressing violence against women— the Maputo Protocol—enforcement has been slow, and key provisions such as reproductive health and safe abortion remain contentious. Some countries have made reservations, particularly on issues like equality in marriage and reproductive rights. The new AU convention risks diluting these established protections, especially if it is not properly aligned with the Maputo Protocol.
The new convention introduces important provisions, including protections against cyberviolence, femicide, and workplace harassment, as well as focus on marginalized groups like women with disabilities. However, it lacks the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights framework that the Maputo Protocol provides, including the right to safe abortion and protections against child marriage. Without addressing these underlying inequalities, any attempt to combat violence against women will remain incomplete.
Moreover, vague language such as “positive masculinity” and “African values and norms” in the new convention could create loopholes, undermining enforceable rights. Previous reservations made by countries like Cameroon and Uganda against the Maputo Protocol have raised concerns that similar issues may arise with the new treaty. There is a risk that this convention could be used to justify weakening protections, especially in light of some governments’ reluctance to fully embrace women’s rights.
For the convention to be truly effective, it must be read alongside the Maputo Protocol to ensure that it complements and strengthens existing obligations rather than diminishes them. Additionally, the AU should address the challenges facing the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the body responsible for monitoring the implementation of both the Maputo Protocol and the new convention. The commission is already under-resourced, and its capacity to monitor both instruments needs to be reinforced.
Calls to pause ratification of the convention, while well-meaning, may lead to political stagnation and a fragmented approach across different countries. The AU has historically favored progressive development over stagnation, and a clear mechanism should be put in place to address gaps between the two frameworks without undermining existing standards.
The AU must prioritize ratifying the Maputo Protocol without reservations, ensure robust implementation and monitoring mechanisms, and allocate more resources to the Commission to support these expanded responsibilities. To ensure the legitimacy of the convention, the AU must engage in meaningful consultations with civil society, especially with survivor-led and grassroots organizations. Without genuine participation, the convention risks being ineffective in achieving its goals of ending violence against women and girls in Africa.
