Africa region: Reservations to the Maputo Protocol undermine protection of women’s health and reproductive rights

10 Feb 2026

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has called for the withdrawal of reservations by Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya and Uganda to article 14 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol).

The call came in a submission to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) on the 28th of January 2026 in response to the ACHPR call for inputs on a draft Advocacy Framework .

Article 14 of the Maputo Protocol, guarantees women’s right to health, including sexual and reproductive health, and obliges States to authorize medical abortion in limited circumstances.

Continued: https://www.icj.org/africa-region-reservations-to-the-maputo-protocol-undermine-protection-of-womens-health-and-reproductive-rights/

10.02.2026

Commentary

ACHPR

African Commission on Human and People’s Rights

International Commission of Jurists

Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh

Maputo Protocol

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

sexual and reproductive health

Africa

Health

Human Rights

Western ‘family values’ rhetoric undermines ubuntu and reproductive justice for all in Africa

After commemorating International Human Rights Day on 10 December, a look at how Western-influenced right-wing movements are gaining traction in Africa and are using so-called traditional family values to undermine sexual and reproductive health rights and LGBTQIA+ rights.

By Sesona Buyeye and Duduetsang Mmeti
16 Dec 2025

Across the world, right-wing movements – often cloaked in the language of “moral and religious preservation” and “anti-wokeness” – are pushing back against progressive human rights advancing reproductive freedoms for women, girls and queer people.

Alarmingly, these movements are also gaining traction across parts of Africa, where significant strides have been made in embracing democracy, advancing constitutionalism and advocating non-racialism and reproductive freedoms in the post-colonial era.

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-12-16-western-family-values-rhetoric-undermineines-ubuntu-and-reproductive-justice-for/

Trump’s Abortion Policy Could Go Global

In this year’s U.S. election, abortion is also a top foreign-policy issue.

By Jodi Enda, the Washington bureau chief and senior correspondent for The Fuller Project.
November 1, 2024

Less than two weeks before his 2020 election defeat, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration rolled out a document that purported to promote women’s health and rights while declaring that there was “no international right to abortion.”

“It’s the first time that a multilateral coalition has been built around the issue of defending life,” then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a signing ceremony, conducted virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, and Uganda joined the United States in sponsoring the nonbinding directive, called the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family. Another 28 countries, many with authoritarian governments that repress women’s rights, signed it.

Continued https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/01/trumps-abortion-policy-could-go-global/

Malawi: Enact Termination of Pregnancy Bill to Reduce Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

27 September 2024
Centre for Solutions Journalism (Blantyre)

Every year on September 28, Malawi joins the rest of the world in commemorating the global day of action for access to safe and legal abortion.

As we commemorate this year's International Safe Abortion Day, statistics from medical facilities regarding the number of women and girls experiencing complications from unsafe abortions show that the nation's abortion law, which was passed in the colonial era in 1930, is not only out of date but has also utterly failed to lower the number of unsafe abortions.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202409270375.html

27.09.2024

News

Centre for Solutions Journalism

International Safe Abortion Day

Maputo Protocol

maternal morbidity

maternal mortality

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

Ipas celebrates 21st anniversary of Maputo Protocol with regional conference in Mozambique

Event highlights the importance of collective action to fulfill the protocol’s promise of reproductive rights that include abortion access

August 9, 2024

Marking the 21st anniversary of the landmark Maputo Protocol, which guarantees extensive rights to African women and girls, Ipas hosted a two-day regional conference in Mozambique devoted to exploring the challenges and successes of implementing this fundamental treaty for gender equity.

“We were thrilled to host this conference in honor of the Maputo Protocol, a groundbreaking legal milestone that has been crucial in advancing women’s rights across Africa, including the essential right to safe and legal abortion,” says Jorge Matine, Country Director of Ipas Mozambique. “The passionate engagement by attendees in advancing and safeguarding abortion access across Southern Africa was truly inspiring. It’s a testament to the progress we’ve made and a powerful reminder that we must accelerate our efforts to ensure no woman or girl is left behind.”

Continued: https://www.ipas.org/news/ipas-celebrates-21st-anniversary-of-maputo-protocol-with-regional-conference-in-mozambique/

Femicide and Reproductive Violence Harm African Women, Girls

Betty Kabari, Researcher, Women's Rights Division - Human Rights Watch
July 31, 2024

International African Women’s Day on July 31 recognizes the contribution of African women toward political, social, and economic freedom on the continent. But gender equality is still not a reality for most African women.

Many countries still have regressive laws, and even the more progressive laws in other countries are often poorly carried out. There is a lack of supportive frameworks to promote and safeguard women and girls’ equality, such as research into rights violations and public education on gender equality and women and girls’ rights.

Continued; https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/31/femicide-and-reproductive-violence-harm-african-women-girls

Nigeria – ‘Should women continue to die?’ – CSO asks n’assembly to review restrictive abortion laws

Sept 28, 2023
by Claire Mom

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation has asked lawmakers to review restrictive abortion laws in the country that continue to endanger the lives of young girls and women.

In a statement released on Thursday to mark the “International Safe Abortion Day”, Ipas noted that unsafe abortions contribute between 13% and 30% to maternal mortality in Nigeria.

Continued: https://www.thecable.ng/should-women-continue-to-die-cso-asks-nassembly-to-review-restrictive-abortion-laws

30.09.2023

News

CEDAW

International Safe Abortion Day

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation

Lucky Palmer

Maputo Protocol

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

Kenya – Give adolescents contraceptives to address cases of teen pregnancies

By Esther Kimani
Nov 28, 2022

As the world population clocked eight billion recently, more than 3,500 delegates from across the globe gathered in Pattaya City, Thailand, for the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP).

The conference attended by key women’s rights advocates from Kenya, including Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, provided a global stage for countries, organisations, and individuals to make important commitments, celebrate achievements, and interrogate barriers to the realisation of Reproductive Health goals, including access to contraception.

Continued: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001461905/give-adolescents-contraceptives-to-address-cases-of-teen-pregnancies

Unsafe abortions contribute 13% to causes of maternal mortality in Nigeria

BY THE EAGLE ONLINE
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

Thirteen per cent of the causes of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria has been attributed to unsafe abortions.

The Country Director, Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, Lucky Palmer, noted this in a statement on Wednesday.

Continued: https://theeagleonline.com.ng/unsafe-abortions-contribute-13-to-causes-of-maternal-mortality-in-nigeria/

29.09.2022

Featured

News

CEDAW

International Safe Abortion Day

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation

Lucky Palmer

Maputo Protocol

maternal mortality

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

The case of the Maputo Protocol for Tanzania

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19 2022
By Hellen Nachilongo

No matter how hard she tries, Julie Kaira* cannot stop herself from feeling the overwhelming shame that came as a result of the rape that she endured at the hands of her biological father, in his matrimonial house at that.

Although this took place three decades ago, she still shudders every time she recalls that unfortunate turn of events. Julie, now 42-years-old was raped at the age of 13. She says that it was normal to find her father at home during working days but little did she know that he was capable of being vile enough to rape his own daughter.

Continued: https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/magazines/health-/the-case-of-the-maputo-protocol-for-tanzania-3954070