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Addis Ababa January 14/2013 Implementation of measures put in place to protect the rights of women and girls and protect them from gender based violence is fragmented AU said.
In a message delivered through a representative at a relevant ministerial meeting held here on Monday, AU Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said despite the considerable measures put in place to protect the rights of women and girls, implementation remains fragmented.
She said a substantial change to the status of the majority of African women and girls is yet to be seen.
Rather than decrease, incidents of violence against women and girls especially in armed conflicts continue unabated in many parts of the continent.
She mentioned as example the violence against women and children during the Sierra Leonean conflict and also that of the Lord’s Resistance Army, which recruited children in Uganda.
AU and its member states have already demonstrated a firm commitment to address issues related to violence against women and girls through well defined human rights mechanisms, she said.
UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Lakshmi Puri also said that the types of all forms of violence committed against women and girls in Africa have reached 3,000.
She said though the types of violence have been increased in number, Africa has been registering development in protecting the rights of women and girls.
The director attributed the success to the activities and contribution of governments, civil society organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders, among others.
Women, Youth and Children Affairs Minister, Zenebu Tadesse on her part said preventing violence against women and girls needs to be considered as primary option.
She said participants of the meeting are expected to prepare strong message that represents Africa in the upcoming 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
The three-day high-level meeting is being held in preparation for the upcoming 57th session of the CSW, which will take place in New York from 14-15 March 2013.
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