This was a big week for news from Africa: the Central African Republic has joined 45 other countries to ratify the Maputo Protocol, an important treaty for protecting women’s rights across the continent. This means they have now made a formal commitment to ban FGM and other practices that have harmed girls for centuries.
While FGM is reported to take place in some regions of the country, it is a significant indication of commitment to changing these practices. Government officials have stated their intention to follow up with legal reforms, education campaigns, and community mobilization efforts to show an intention that this is not just another piece of paper.
It is not coincidental that the timing is only months after the West African Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone had violated women’s human rights through its failure to ban FGM. This ruling must have sent a strong message across the region.
Women's rights advocates see this as a victory that is long overdue for all of those who have spoken out, often at great personal risk, over the last several decades.
This should not be understated as a policy change; it is a tangible step toward ensuring future generations of girls grow up safe, respected, and free.
https://peakd.com/news/@arraymedia/the-central-african-republic-just-banned-female-genital-mutilation-a-major-win-for-womens-rights