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Founded | 2004 |
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Type | Coalition of civil society organisations |
Focus | Women's rights, gender equality |
Location |
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Area served | 33 African countries |
Services | Advocacy, legal action, community mobilisation |
Method | Advocacy, legal aid, public awareness, research |
Members | 80+ organisations |
Website | soawr |
Solidarity for African Women's Rights known as SOAWR is a coalition of over 80 [1] civil society organisations working across 33 African countries to promote and protect women's rights. Established in 2004, SOAWR works to advance the rights of women and girls as articulated in the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa ("The Maputo Protocol"). [2] [3]
SOAWR has played a key role in advocating for the ratification, domestication, and implementation of the Maputo Protocol across African Union (AU) member states. [4] As of 2023, 43 out of 54 eligible countries have ratified the protocol. [5]
The Coalition's main objectives are: [6]
Since its formation, SOAWR has made significant contributions in the fight for women's rights across Africa: [7]
A 2017 article published in the Proceedings of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) Annual Meeting credited SOAWR's advocacy as contributing to gender parity developments in African regional courts, alongside broader legal and cultural shifts such as the Maputo Protocol. [10]
The 20th anniversary of the Maputo Protocol was celebrated with a series of events across Africa organised by SOAWR. Key activities included a high-level diplomatic dialogue in Addis Ababa, diplomatic advocacy visits in Nairobi targeting non-ratifying states, and a two-day commemoration in Nairobi in July 2023. The anniversary also involved the preparation of a report and declaration to be presented at future African Union summits and international conferences. [11]
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Maputo Protocol in 2023, SOAWR launched the 20 for 20 Solidarity Awards, aimed at recognising 20 individuals and organisations that have significantly contributed to advancing the Protocol at national, regional, and continental levels. [12]
The awards covered ten categories, including:
The winners were honoured at a high-level awards gala on July 11, 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya, attended by government officials, activists, and international organisations. [13]
SOAWR is listed as a key stakeholder in Oxfam's Gender Justice and Women's Rights program, which works to address gender inequality across several African countries. The program aims to promote women's rights through collaboration with civil society organizations, regional economic communities, and various African Union organs. [14]
In 2023, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) described SOAWR and Equality Now as collaborators on the report Gender Equality and International Law in Africa: The Role of Regional Economic Communities, developed under a regional project on advancing gender equality and women's empowerment in Africa. [15]
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