Violence against women and girls imposes trillions of dollars of opportunity cost on the economy globally, which can go as high as three percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), if not more.
Monique Nsanzabaganwa, deputy chairperson (DCP) for the African Union Commission, said this in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay.
“From the Maputo protocol to the proclamation of African women’s decade for financial and economic inclusion 2021- 2030, to positive masculinity, and now a whole convention, the continent has adequate frameworks to guide the efforts on ending violence against women and girls.
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“The real work starts now. It will include translating the convention into enforceable laws in respective jurisdictions and ratifying it in big numbers for the convention to take effect”, she noted.
She said for the convention to be binding, it would need at least 15 countries to ratify it and take it through their parliaments to adopt it as a law.
“For instance, there is AU Protocol on Free Movement of Persons that was adopted in 2018, but up to now, only five ratified it, and as a result, it is yet to become binding”, she added.
According to UN Women, every 10 minutes, partners and family members killed a woman intentionally in 2023. According to the group, nearly one in three women experiences violence in her lifetime. Girls are at particular risk of violence as one in four adolescent girls is abused by her partners.
Also in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, minister of women affairs and social development, said: “This is an impressive feat in our collaborative decision as Africans to end violence against women and girls on our continent.
“In my office as Nigeria’s minister of women affairs and social development, I am committed to leading this nationally as we are already putting things in place for the actualisation of this agenda.
“Our attention to this will include continuation of awareness creation, solidifying legal and institutional mechanisms and promotion of alliances – both locally and internationally – so Nigerian women and girls can truly be safe and better equipped with necessary information for their safety.”
She said the adoption aligns with Nigeria’s goals, noting that it buttresses the progress made in promoting gender parity and securing the rights of women.
She further said that the collaboration between stakeholders and the government will bring positive results in ensuring a safe environment for women and girls.
African leaders have just adopted the ‘African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women, Girls (AUCEVAWG).’ This began by the collective resolution of the African Union Heads of State and Government in February 2023, at the African Union Summit. In February 2024, they reaffirmed their pledge and agreed to wrap up discussions and present a draft in February 2025. The draft was recently presented and it has been adopted just as scheduled.
AUCEVAWG is a detailed legal tool for the deterrence and eradication of all practices of violence against women and girls in Africa.
Asmau Benzies Leo, executive director, Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN), “The newly adopted African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls and the promotion of gender equality mark a significant step toward a more just and equitable continent. “As a gender advocate, I see this as a critical tool for shaping stronger legal frameworks, holding governments accountable, and ensuring that policies translate into real action for women and girls across Africa.”
For her, “Member states must now demonstrate political will by domesticating its provisions, strengthening enforcement mechanisms, allocating adequate resources, and fostering multi-sectoral collaboration to address these systemic barriers to gender equality.”
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Lintle Mabote, founder/director, Sephalaphala Women Empowerment Enterprise NPC, shared a similar view.
“This is definitely a milestone to be celebrated. Implementation should be coupled with self-improvement initiatives so that the target audience becomes aware when they are in a position or situation that will compromise them and expose them to acts of violence”, she said.
Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, founder, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) said, “I am glad this is being adopted because it is a great move in protecting the self-worth, wellbeing, and rights of women in Africa.
“As a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, I see the effects this has on women and girls, both emotionally and physically. The impact of this move by the AU not only buttresses our obligations to tackling these cases, but also gives us a good structure for proper interventions and backing.”
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