Africa Women convene to unpack newly adopted AU convention on ending violence against women, girls

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) describe the February 2025 adoption of the treaty as a hard-fought victory after years of relentless advocacy to secure the international recognition of women and girls’ rights. “This is a historic milestone that offers an opportunity to recommit to protecting and advancing women’s rights across Africa,” one CSO statement noted.

Speaking during the opening of a regional convening on the African Convention on EVAWG in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ms. Felister Mdemu, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, emphasized the need for collaboration.

“This journey is still long, and it cannot be achieved by governments alone. That’s why we welcome partners who will bring together development organizations to work and collaborate on this mission,” she said.

Maureen Anyango, the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) lead at the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), praised the convention as a culmination of decades of feminist advocacy.

“This milestone is key because it is built on decades of feminist advocacy across Africa. It also complements existing frameworks, regional consultations, and the pressure by CSOs that led to the formal AU adoption in February 2025. It is a feminist response to legal fragmentation and implementation gaps,” she said.

Bernard Adalla, a Siaya County Assembly member representing North Ugenya, highlighted the role of men in ending violence against women.

“It’s high time for men to come out of their cocoons, which perpetuate violence against women. I am a supporter of women, but as men, we often fail to express our feelings, we bottle up emotions until they boil over, and we end up directing violence toward women, who naturally have no strength to fight back,” he said.

CSOs have lauded the EVAWG Convention as the first legally binding AU treaty focused exclusively on ending violence against women and girls. It sets new benchmarks for protection, prevention, prosecution, and survivor services. The treaty also recognizes emerging forms of violence, such as femicide, cyberviolence, and economic violence, framing violence against women as a continental crisis that demands collective action.

Kenya is among AU member states yet to ratify the convention. However, the government has expressed its commitment to signing and ratifying it. The convention, adopted in February, was opened for signing and ratification in July 2025.

Countries that have already acted on the treaty include Angola, Burundi, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and The Gambia.

The Dar es Salaam convening, organized by partners including FEMNET and UN Women, aims to create a women-led and inclusive platform to unpack the EVAWG Convention. The forum seeks to empower grassroots women’s rights organizations with the knowledge and strategies needed to drive national-level ratification, domestication, and monitoring processes.