The State Department for Gender Affairs has called on members of the public to submit memoranda on the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG), a landmark continental legal instrument adopted in February 2025.
The submissions, part of Kenya’s ratification process, must be received by January 16 2026, at 5 pm.
In a statement, Ann Wang’ombe, Principal Secretary, State Department for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action, said the convention “demonstrates Africa's leadership efforts in ending violence against women and girls globally.”
She added that the public is invited to make representations “by way of written memoranda” to the Office of the Principal Secretary, either by post, hand delivery, or email at [email protected].
The AU-CEVAWG is designed as a comprehensive, legally binding framework to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls across Africa.
It addresses the root causes of such violence, strengthens legal and institutional mechanisms, and promotes “a culture of respect for human rights, gender equality and the dignity of women and girls,” the statement notes.
The Convention’s adoption follows historic decisions by African Union Heads of State and Government, first in 2023 to negotiate the instrument, and later in 2024 to conclude negotiations and submit a draft for adoption.
Kenya’s participation in the ratification process ensures alignment with Article 2(2) and 10(1) & (2) of the Constitution, as well as section 7(m) of the Treaty-Making and Ratification Act, CAP 4D.
Violence against women and girls remains pervasive across Africa, taking multiple forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, or economic violence by intimate partners; Female Genital Mutilation (FGM); early child and forced marriage; and sexual violence in conflict and humanitarian settings.
The Convention emphasizes inclusivity, recognizing that violence is often compounded by race, ethnicity, nationality, age, disability, or socio-economic status, underscoring the need to address the unique needs of marginalized and vulnerable women and girls.
According to 2024 and 2025 data from UN agencies and the African Union, violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains a deeply entrenched crisis across Africa, marked by high rates of physical, sexual, and digital abuse.
Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV) at 33%, with 20% of women experiencing it in the past year. More than 79 million girls and women—over one in five—in the region were subjected to rape or sexual assault before turning 18, the highest global figure, while Africa also records the world’s highest femicide rate by intimate partners or family members, estimated at 3 per 100,000 women and girls, with Kenya alone reporting at least 170 femicide cases in 2024.
Technology-facilitated violence is rising sharply, with approximately 28% of women in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and South Africa reporting online abuse by late 2025, and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) remain widespread, affecting over 230 million women and girls globally, 63% of whom are in Africa.
The full text of the AU-CEVAWG is available on the Ministry’s website at www.gender.go.ke and on the African Union portal at https://au.int/en/aucevawg.
