FEMNET | Call for Abstracts: African Women’s Journal (AWJ) 2023

Call for Abstracts: African Women’s Journal (AWJ) 2023

By Femnet_
08 May 2023

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, popularly referred to as the Maputo Protocol was adopted in July 2003 and came into force in November 2005. Described as a “comprehensive and progressive” instrument that advances women’s and girls human rights, the Maputo Protocol has been ratified by 43 African States as of February 2023. Nine (9) members states have signed but not yet ratified and three (3) members states have not signed nor ratified.

2023, marks the 20th anniversary of the Maputo Protocol. In this issue of the African Women’s Journal, we invite feminists, women’s and girls rights activists and advocates, researchers, artivists, journalists and civil society movement leaders to submit abstracts that contribute to a candid reflection and documentation on the journey of the Maputo Protocol not only in terms of the ratification journey but also a critical analysis of its implementation (or lack thereof) and how this has impacted on the envisioned journey of ensuring that the rights of women and girls in all their diversity are “promoted, realised and protected in order to enable them to enjoy fully all their human rights”.

The submissions can include artistic expressions, poems, stories or written articles on the following sub-themes: –

- A stock taking on the ratification process and implementation of Maputo Protocol in your country or across the continent, including personal journeys and reflections, comparative analysis, advocacy strategies and tactics.
- The unspoken and undocumented sacrifices and contributions of women movement leaders in pushing for the ratification of the Maputo Protocol.
- The accountability journey of advocating for the implementation of the Maputo Protocol at national and regional levels.
- How can African State leaders incorporate the Maputo Protocol within the context of like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Generation Equality Forum Commitments etc
- Perspectives, critical analysis, and reflections on whether African women and girls should celebrate or challenge the upcoming Maputo @20 commemoration.
- Positioning and sufficient resourcing of the young women-led and the African women’s movement to strategically monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Maputo Protocol and reporting guidelines within the ACHPR mechanisms.
- What are your priority recommendations to your Government or the African Union on implementation Maputo Protocol.
- Reflections and expressions on the impact of ratification, domestication and implementation (or lack thereof) of the Maputo Protocol on women’s reproductive health and rights, climate justice, women’s leadership, women’s economic justice and rights and ending violence against women and girls.

The call for abstracts is open to all feminists, activists, advocates, activists in all their diversities and encourages submissions whose writers/ creatives demonstrate a broad understanding of women’s rights advocacy, human rights, gender equality advocacy, policy influencing and programming.

Click on this google form to SUBMIT your Abstracts of not more than 250 words, in English and/or French.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is 19th of May 2023