The Coalition of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) is organising a series of activities around the African Union Summit, scheduled to hold this month – June 2006 in Banjul, The Gambia. 

The purpose of organising these events is to create awareness on the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa, which entered into force on November 25^th 2005, having achieved the 15 required ratifications following vigorous campaign by the coalition of SOAWR.  The thrush of SOAWR’s advocacy around the Protocol has now been shifted to universal ratification, domestication and the implementation of provisions therein enshrined.

It is well noted that in line with international and regional instruments, the constitution of The Gambia has adequate provision which guarantees equal rights to women and men to access to education, voting, employment opportunities and ownership of assets and productive resources. In this regard, there is much that is consistent with the Protocol. To discuss the relevance of the Protocol to Africa and the Gambia in general, three activities would be conducted in The Gambia namely: a public forum on the 24^th June; a symposium & book launch on the 25^th June 2006; and a press conference on the 27^th June 2006.   These events will take place at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

 These events will discuss the similarities alongside issues of the Islamic and Christian faith, cultural and traditional practices, national processes for domestication and the relevance of the Protocol to the Gambian women's movement.  Actions that could be taken to domesticate and implement the Protocol and other relevant instruments in The Gambia and in African generally, would also be tabled for discussion.