The Coalition of the Campaign welcomes the ratification by Uganda of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), on July 22, 2010. In acceding to this instrument, the Ugandan authorities have formally committed to promote and protect the rights of women guaranteed by this Protocol. In accordance with the provisions of this Protocol, the Ugandan authorities committed to take all necessary measures, including by adopting an adequate legislative framework, to fight against all forms of discrimination against women, ensure their rights to dignity, life, safety, health, access to justice, education, participate in political processes or their social and economic rights.
The Coalition of the campaign recalls that although several laws have been recently enacted by the Ugandan authorities to improve the situation of women, their implementation continues to be hindered by the persistence of deeply entenched traditions and patriarchal attitudes, especially in rural areas. The Coalition calls on Uganda to organize as soon as possible raise-awareness campaigns on the provisions of the Maputo Protocol, also directed to those responsible for law enforcement.
The Coalition of the Campaign Africa for Women’s Rights: Ratify and Respect struggle for African states to ratify, without reservations, the international and regional instruments for the protection of women’s rights and for them to respect their commitments. Since the launch of the campaign in 2009, 3 States have ratified the Maputo Protocol – the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cameroon and Uganda, bringing to 28 the number of African Union (AU) member states parties to the Protocol – and 2 States have ratified the Protocol to the CEDAW – Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea – bringing to 19 the number of AU member States Parties to this Protocol.
