AU Should Strengthen its Framework to Curb Violence Against Women

(Juliana Nnoko – Human Rights Watch) Violence against women and girls in Africa demands urgent action. As of 2023, it is estimated that one in three women and girls between ages 15 and 49, have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Last November, South Africa classified violence against women as a national disaster. When the African Union adopted its Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in early 2025, UN Women and several governments celebrated it as progress. But across the continent, women’s rights organizations are warning against premature optimism and calling for the treaty to be strengthened. Indeed, the African Union needs to increase compliance with the existing legal framework, and strengthen the latest one, if it is to lead to tangible improvements for women and girls. – AU Should Strengthen its Framework to Curb Violence Against Women | Human Rights Watch