The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has called on all stakeholders to take decisive and collective action to advance social and economic justice for African women through reparations while urging African Union (AU) Member States to prioritise the ratification and full implementation of the new AU Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls.
In a statement issued by its Vice-Chairperson and Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, to commemorate the 2025 Pan African Women’s Day, the Commission stressed that “Governments and institutions must adopt gender-responsive reparations frameworks that address systemic inequalities, including economic disparities, land rights, and access to education and healthcare.”
Insisting that Governments must ensure that “legal protections translate into real change”, it also called on civil society and women’s movements to continue their vital role in holding leaders accountable and amplifying the voices of marginalised women, ensuring their demands for justice are heard and acted upon.
The Commission, a quasi-judicial body based in Banjul, The Gambia, which is charged with promoting and protecting human rights throughout the African continent, asked the international community to stand in solidarity with Africa’s reparative justice agenda and provide technical and financial support to advance gender equality.
It said: “Together, we must recognise that African women are not merely recipients of justice but powerful agents of transformation. Committing to reparative justice today lays the foundation for a future where equality, dignity, and prosperity are within every African woman’s reach.”
The Commission reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to the empowerment, dignity, and justice for African women and girls”, noting that this year’s Pan African Women’s Day theme, “Advancing Social and Economic Justice for African Women Through Reparations,” aligns with the AU’s 2025 focus: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” and underscores the urgent need to address historical and systemic injustices that continue to hinder the full realisation of African women’s rights.
Observing that African women have borne the brunt of colonialism, slavery, economic exploitation, and systemic gender discrimination, the Commission argued that “reparations must go beyond financial redress, they must encompass restorative justice that dismantles structural inequalities, ensures equitable access to resources, and guarantees women’s meaningful participation in decision-making at all levels.”
It noted that social and economic justice for African women requires transformative policies that repair historical harm while fostering sustainable development.
The Commission described the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, popularly known as the Maputo Protocol, as a ground-breaking instrument for gender equality as it enshrines critical rights, including economic justice, protection from violence, and political participation.
It, therefore, called on all African states to fully domesticate and implement the Maputo Protocol and ensure that its provisions translate into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls.
Besides, the Commission said, Agenda 2063 envisions a continent where women and girls thrive in dignity, free from discrimination and violence, with Aspiration 6 of it explicitly calling for an Africa where development is people-driven, leveraging the potential of women and youth.
It noted that to achieve this, reparative justice must be integrated into national development plans that ensure that African women benefit from equitable land ownership, access to finance, quality education, and healthcare.
The Commission added that the newly adopted AU Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls also presents a historic opportunity to strengthen legal frameworks and accountability mechanisms as it provides a comprehensive approach to combating gender-based violence (GBV), including harmful practices, and mandates reparative measures for survivors, ensuring access to justice, psychosocial support, and economic restitution.
The African Commission insisted that “As we commemorate Pan African Women’s Day 2025, we continue to honour the courage, vision, and relentless spirit of the founding mothers of the struggle for women’s rights, whose sacrifice paved the way for our continued quest for equality, dignity, and justice across Africa.”