Women’s rights coalition pushes for firmer Maputo Protocol enforcement

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Women’s rights advocates have renewed calls for stronger implementation of the Maputo Protocol, warning that growing resistance to gender equality threatens decades of progress made across Africa.

The call was made during a convening of members of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) coalition held at Four Points by Sheraton Kampala on March 11, 2026, where civil society organisations gathered to discuss strategies for unlocking the potential of the women’s rights movement in the Great Horn of Africa.

The meeting, held under the theme “Advancing Bodily Autonomy and Integrity: Making the Maputo Protocol a Reality in Africa”, brought together more than 15 coalition members to strengthen collaboration among women’s rights organisations and address emerging challenges affecting gender equality in the region.

Delivering an overview of the initiative, Olabukunola Williams from pan-African feminist leadership organisation Akina Mama wa Afrika emphasised the importance of collective action in ensuring that the Maputo Protocol translates into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls.

“We usually refer to this protocol as a legal instrument that has enabled us to advance the rights of women and girls both at national and regional levels,” she said.

“But what we want to see is real impact in the lives of women at the community level, whether women are able to access services, exercise their rights, and live more dignified lives,” she stated.

Williams noted that although several African countries, including Uganda, have ratified the protocol, reservations on certain provisions, particularly those relating to women’s reproductive health, continue to limit its full implementation.

She also pointed to the role of global partners in supporting advocacy efforts, saying, “For many of you who don’t know, Amplify Change provides resources at the intersection of gender equality.

On sexual and reproductive rights, Williams noted that the organisation supports coalition-based advocacy through its network grants.

Protocol implementation gaps

The Maputo Protocol, adopted in 2003 by the African Union, is widely regarded as one of the continent’s most progressive legal frameworks on women’s rights.

It addresses issues including gender based violence, reproductive health, land rights, political participation and the elimination of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage.

Uganda ratified the protocol in 2010 and has since introduced several legal reforms aligned with its provisions, like the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, which criminalises the harmful practice.

However, women’s rights advocates say significant challenges remain, particularly in areas concerning reproductive health services and the removal of reservations placed on certain sections of the protocol.

Maternal health concerns

Speaking during the launch of activities under the SOAWR initiative in Uganda, Rose Wakikona, deputy executive director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), said the project aims to mobilise women’s organisations to push for stronger protection of women’s rights.

“We have come to launch activities in Uganda under the SOAWR initiative that bring women together to fight for women’s rights and support the implementation of the Maputo Protocol,” she said.

While addressing the media, Wakikona stressed that maternal health remains one of the most pressing concerns affecting women, noting that many continue to face life-threatening complications during childbirth due to limited access to medical services.

“We want to see no more women dying while giving birth,” she said, adding that some mothers reach hospitals only to find shortages of doctors, medicines and essential medical supplies.

She urged the government to increase investment in reproductive health services, particularly in the upcoming national budget, arguing that stronger health systems are key to reducing maternal mortality.

During the opening session, Jackie Bless, Country Coordinator of SIHA Uganda, said the gathering aimed to strengthen coordination among practitioners working to protect vulnerable women and girls.

“The reason we also have a large number of practitioners is to avoid such scenarios. Maybe one can come not sure on the periods and given wrong prescription, this risks individuals' lives," she said, emphasising that there is a need for professionalism with the supporting systems.

Bless added that organisations working with vulnerable women must also reflect on their own practices to ensure better service delivery.

“We also take our medicine because we are not completely clean, and then we have to change the cycle,” she said.

Participants at the meeting noted that while legal frameworks like the Maputo Protocol provide an important foundation for advancing women’s rights, their real value lies in effective implementation and community-level impact.

They warned that without sustained advocacy and stronger political commitment, progress achieved over the years could be reversed, particularly as gender equality movements face increasing resistance in some parts of the continent.

Civil society groups are now urging African governments to strengthen the enforcement of gender responsive laws, remove reservations on key provisions of the Maputo Protocol, and increase funding for women’s rights programmes.

Advocates say such efforts are essential to unlocking the full potential of the women’s rights movement in the Great Horn of Africa and ensuring that the promise of the protocol becomes a lived reality for millions of women and girls.