The role of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in the protection of women’s rights: case study on women belonging to minorities Presented by the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Commissioner Soyata Maiga, during the 4th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva on 29 and 30 november 2011 Overview of the presentation 1. Introduction 2. Overview of the regional framework for the protection of the rights of women in Africa A. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) B. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women (Maputo Protocol) 3. Specific challenges that women belonging to minorities face regarging the recognition, exercice, and enjoyment of their rights 4. Responses of the African system of human rights 1. Introduction Despite the ratification by African States of all international human rights instruments and the commitment of Heads of State and Government in the 2014 Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa to eradicate all forms of discrimination towards women, women in Africa keep facing discrimination and harmful practices. Those women coming from indigenous communities or belonging to minorities face double discrimination and marginalisation, including within their own communities. The consequences of such marginalisation and discrimination call out to the International Community. For your information:  The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was ratified by all African States except for Sudan and Somalia. The optional protocole to CEDAW was ratified by 22 African States and signed by 9 others.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child: only Somalia did not ratify it.  The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities was adopted by the General Assembly in its Resolution 47/135 on 18 March 1992. 2. Overview of the regional framework for the protection of the rights of women in Africa A. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter)  Entry into force in October 1986  All African States ratified it