AU Heads of State Summit Decide on Violence Against Women and Adolescents in the Context of COVID-19 pandemic

Earlier this month, the African Union recently held its annual Heads of State and Government Assembly in Addis Ababa to discuss issues related to health, governance, peace and security including the need for solidarity in addressing the impact of COVID-19.  

Leaders in Africa have been confronted with the imperative to act more urgently and more decisively than ever before in order to safeguard decades of painstaking progress made by their countries for the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. In spite of all efforts, health systems remain fragile, and disease and mortality rates remain high. The statistics tell the heartbreaking story: globally, 2.4 million newborn babies died in in 2020, of which 1 million were in sub-Saharan Africa; 43% of deaths of children under-five occurred in Africa in 2020; 66% of women who die in the context of childbirth are from the region; and in 2020 six in seven new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15-19 years worldwide were among girls from Africa.

Under the leadership of the African Union (AU), the region has established an impressive policy framework and a growing number of institutions and initiatives are turning the tide for gender equality.  Key among these are the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa by Heads of State, the Continental Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the African Union Guidelines on Gender-Responsive Responses to COVID-19. 

It was in this context that, as anticipated, the leaders appointed His Excellency President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo as AU Champion for its Positive Masculinity Program. The program intends to strengthen political commitment for ending violence against women and girls by supporting actions to accelerate the realization of the rights of women and girls.

The decision to appoint the Champion is important in several respects. Firstly, in taking the decision, African leaders acknowledged persisting gender inequalities as the key underlying factor responsible for the slow progress on women empowerment. Leaders also recognized the escalating violence against women and girls in the context of the COVID -19 pandemic and identified some approaches to address this scourge, namely solidarity among leaders, improved monitoring, and accountability.

PMNCH welcomes this development as a promising sign. In September 2020, 1,000 partners of PMNCH, came together to advocate urgent action in response to the devastating effects of the pandemic on the health and well-being of women, children, and adolescents. The Call to Action on COVID-19 urges strengthened political commitment, policies and domestic resource mobilization and financing for seven priority areas, including prevention of violence against women, adolescents and children. The recent decision by the African Union resonates strongly with the PMNCH Call to Action and is an opportunity for PMNCH to deepen its collaboration with the AU. The PMNCH therefore stands ready to avail its resources and partnerships in support of the African Union Commission and its Member States in their pursuit of improved health for women, adolescent and children.