The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region – Regional Training Facility (ICGLR-RTF) heartily congratulates the African Union on the adoption of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls which was adopted during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15 to 16 February 2025.
Adoption of this Convention marks a pivotal milestone and turning point in our collective efforts to concretely and collectively end Sexual and Gender Based Violence, and in particular violence against women and girls which persistently causes serious harm and breaches human rights.
The African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls builds upon and elaborates State responsibility for the implementation of the Maputo Protocol; and reinforces commitments made by ICGLR Member States to combat Sexual and Gender Based Violence which includes sexual violence against women and children through preventing, criminalizing and punishing acts of sexual violence, both in times of peace and in times of war, in accordance with national laws and international law as provided in the ICGLR Pact on Security, Stability and Development for the Great Lakes Region of 2006; the ICGLR Protocol on Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence against Women and Children of 2006; and the Kampala Declaration on Sexual and Gender Based Violence of 2011.
ICGLR-RTF supports efforts that advocate for the speedy ratification of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls to ensure its entry into force, and full implementation which will translate commitments into tangible protections, support systems, and legal frameworks that safeguard the rights and well-being of every woman and girl.
Hon. Dr. Janvière Ndirahisha
Regional Director
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region – Regional Training Facility
