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Instruments of the AU
ethnic group, colour, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion,
national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status;
Further considering that article 18 of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights calls on all states parties to eliminate every discrimination
against women and to ensure the protection of the rights of women as
stipulated in international declarations and conventions;
Noting that articles 60 and 61 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights recognise regional and international human rights instruments and
African practices consistent with international norms on human and peoples’
rights as being important reference points for the application and
interpretation of the African Charter;
Recalling that women’s rights have been recognised and guaranteed in all
international human rights instruments, notably the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
and its Optional Protocol, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of
the Child, and all other international and regional conventions and covenants
relating to the rights of women as being inalienable, interdependent and
indivisible human rights;
Noting that women’s rights and women’s essential role in development, have
been reaffirmed in the United Nations Plans of Action on the Environment and
Development in 1992, on Human Rights in 1993, on Population and
Development in 1994 and on Social Development in 1995;
Recalling also United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325 (2000) on the
role of women in promoting peace and security;
Reaffirming the principle of promoting gender equality as enshrined in the
Constitutive Act of the African Union as well as the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development, relevant declarations, resolutions and decisions, which
underline the commitment of the African states to ensure the full
participation of African women as equal partners in Africa’s development;
Further noting that the African Platform for Action and the Dakar Declaration
of 1994 and the Beijing Platform for Action of 1995 call on all member states
of the United Nations, which have made a solemn commitment to implement
them, to take concrete steps to give greater attention to the human rights of
women in order to eliminate all forms of discrimination and of gender-based
violence against women;
Recognising the crucial role of women in the preservation of African values
based on the principles of equality, peace, freedom, dignity, justice,
solidarity and democracy;
Bearing in mind related resolutions, declarations, recommendations,
decisions, conventions and other regional and sub-regional instruments aimed
at eliminating all forms of discrimination and at promoting equality between
women and men;
Concerned that despite the ratification of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights instruments by the
majority of states parties, and their solemn commitment to eliminate all
forms of discrimination and harmful practices against women, women in
Africa still continue to be victims of discrimination and harmful practices;
Firmly convinced that any practice that hinders or endangers the normal
growth and affects the physical and psychological development of women and
girls should be condemned and eliminated;
Determined to ensure that the rights of women are promoted, realised and
protected in order to enable them to enjoy fully all their human rights;
HAVE AGREED as follows: