The Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy warmly welcomes the historic adoption of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. a long-overdue and bold step toward building an Africa where women and girls live free from fear, violence, and oppression. It reaffirms the commitment to defending the rights, dignity, and safety of women and girls across the continent.
This Convention is not merely a document-it represents a turning point in the struggle for gender justice in Africa. It affirms, unequivocally, that the rights, dignity, and safety of women and girls are non-negotiable. They are fundamental rights and must be fiercely protected. This Convention is a call for justice, a promise of protection, and a framework for real and lasting change. It sets a strong legal and political precedent for confronting all forms of gender-based violence and serves as a tool to dismantle the structures that enable such violence and support survivors in reclaiming their rights and futures.
For us in Sudan, this Convention is not only symbolic but deeply personal. Sudanese women have endured decades of systemic violence, from armed conflict and displacement to institutional discrimination and sexual violence used as a weapon of war, including the suppression of their voices in public life and discrimination deeply rooted in law and culture. From the streets of Khartoum to the camps of Darfur, from displaced mothers to young girls denied education, their pain tells a story that must no longer be ignored.
We urge all AU Member States to swiftly ratify and implement this Convention and to ensure that its promises are translated into tangible protection on the ground.
However, decisions without implementation remain empty. The credibility of this Convention. and of the African Union itself. depends on its ability to ensure that this historic agreement does not gather dust in government offices, but becomes a driving force that transforms laws, shifts cultures, and protects lives on the ground. For this Convention to create real change in people’s lives, we call on the African Union to match its words with action and accountability and to move beyond adoption toward bold implementation.
Therefore, the African Union must:
- Adopt clear policies and establish strong, independent, and well-resourced mechanisms to monitor progress and compliance.
- Develop binding accountability systems that hold governments responsible when they fail to protect women and girls or refuse to implement the provisions of the Convention.
The Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy affirms its readiness to support the full implementation of this Convention. We call on civil society across the continent to use this Convention as a unifying platform for advocacy, education, and legislative reform. Together, we must ensure that this historic agreement becomes a driving force for justice. not just a symbol of hope, but a catalyst for change.
Let this be the dawn of a new era .. one in which no woman or girl lives in silence or fear, and where justice, equality, and peace are not distant dreams, but daily realities.
Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy
May 29, 2025