Reacting to the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa on 26 August by the Central African authorities, Abdoulaye Diarra, Senior Researcher at Amnesty International, said the Central African authorities’ ratification of the Maputo Protocol is a welcome and long-awaited step in promoting and protecting women and girls’ rights in the country, including from all forms of gender-based violence such as early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation that have long hindered their education, health, and well-being.
“However, actions speak louder than words and Central African authorities must now follow through to take necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the Maputo Protocol by adopting a comprehensive law to address GBV and promote gender equality, strengthening the justice system, improving support services for survivors, and raising awareness in communities, including in rural areas,” said Diarra.
According to the UNFPA’s latest figures, 61% of Central African girls are still married before the age of 18, and 22% of girls and women aged 15 – 49 suffer from a form of genital mutilation.
Diarra added, “We urge the adoption of a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of gender-based violence to change attitudes and norms in order to empower women and girls in the Central African Republic.
“We also urge Niger and Chad, the two countries in West and Central Africa, who have not yet ratified the Maputo Protocol, to do so without delay.”
The Maputo Protocol is an international human rights instrument established by the African Union, which came into effect in 2005.
As of August 28, 2025, out of the 55 member countries in the African Union, 46 have ratified the Maputo Protocol.
The AU states that have neither signed nor ratified the Protocol yet are Egypt and Morocco. The states that have signed but not yet ratified are Burundi, Chad, Eritrea, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia, and Sudan.
