Women leaders from Africa gathered in Dakar, Senegal, for the 4th African Women Leaders Consultation on the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG), being part of a series of high-level multi-stakeholder engagements designed to collect input from African citizens, with a focus on women leaders, to help shape the AU-CEVAWG. Once adopted, the Convention will be a comprehensive African legal framework dedicated to preventing and eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls, affirming the continent’s leadership for this global cause. Discussions at the meeting covered the entire spectrum of violence against women and girls, focusing on male engagement, violence in conflict settings, and the roadmap for the Convention’s development and adoption. Participants agreed that a legally binding Convention would set clear standards for prevention, provide accountability mechanisms, and promote best practices across Member States. The final draft of the AU-CEVAWG is expected to be adopted by February 2025, marking a new era in Africa’s commitment to ending violence against women and girls.
Compiled from: “African women leaders unite in Dakar to shape groundbreaking African Union convention on ending violence against women and girls,” African Union, Oct. 8, 2024.