Violence against women and girls is viewed by the African Union (AU) as a major impediment to the realisation of their fundamental rights. The AU leaders reiterated their commitment to firmly advocate and push for a change to allow women and girls fully enjoy their human right at the 3rd edition of the Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity convened in Pretoria, South Africa on November 28, 2023. The Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity is a concept where the African Union is deliberately rallying the support of men who hold decision making positions across different spheres to be gender allies, not only to champion for change at family level, but also to become gender champions in their workspaces and eco-systems. Involving and engaging men in the fight to end Violence Against Women and Girls has been proven to be a catalyst in the ending of the vice.
At the end of the Conference, the leaders adopted a Declaration recommitting to ensure the historical and structural drivers of violence against women and girls on the African continent are identified and addressed in the economic, cultural, social and governance spheres. The Declaration acknowledges that violence against women and girls in Africa continues to destroy the lives of women and girls of Africa despite the often-reiterated commitment of States to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women and girls.
The Declaration mentions that the leaders at the 3rd Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity have agreed to accelerate actions to create an environment for gender equality, women empowerment and leadership in Africa. The Declaration endeavours to dismantle patriarchal systems that create inequalities and to foster positive masculinity to rebuild the African social fabric through processes that heal and rehumanize individuals, institutions, leadership, and societies to embody the values of human dignity, equality, freedom, and self-determination.
The Declaration also calls for ensuring that historical and structural drivers of violence against women and girls on the continent are identified and addressed in the economic, cultural, social and governance spheres and commits to provide the necessary resources to address violence against women and girls and ensure sustainability through national budgetary allocations. The Declaration reiterates the commitment of the AU to the implementation of the Africa Decade for Women Financial and Economic Inclusion, the overall aim of is which is that every woman must be able to work, be paid and participate in the economy of her country. It also commits to enhancing efforts to enable women’s economic power and address linkages between lack of economic and financial inclusion with women’s vulnerability to violence. The Declaration agrees to encourage and support African research for evidence-based interventions to end violence against women and girls and implementation of research findings and best practices of positive masculinity in Africa.
The Declaration commits to capitalize on the Circle of champions to mobilize a wider circle of male leaders in various spheres to drive action to end violence against women and girls across the continent, paying particular attention to intergenerational dialogues and engagement with young men and boys. The Circle of champions has been launched by the AU to advance the participatory and intergenerational approach that engages all stakeholders, including youth, religious and traditional leaders, civil society, and African women leaders and the private sector, to amplify the call to action to end the harmful and discriminatory practices in the societies.
The Declaration further commits to activate all avenues to enhance the participation and leadership of women in spheres of decision-making at all levels and all sectors of society to fulfil Africa Agenda 2063 promises of a people-centered continent.
African Union is also in the process of establishing an African Convention to End Violence Against Women and Girls and leaders at the 2023 Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity and the AU leaders present at the conference reiterated their support for the process of accelerating the elaboration of Convention.
