Addis Ababa, 19 January 2016: H.E. Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission met with a delegation of Sudanese Women representing the National Group for Human Rights in Sudan.

The Commissioner for Political Affairs welcomed the delegation and thanked them for visiting the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) of the African Union Commission (AUC). Dr. Abdullahi briefed the delegation on the work and the mandate of the DPA and its efforts to promote democracy, good governance and human rights on the continent. She further indicated that the Heads of State and Government declared 2016 as the “Year of Human Rights with Particular Focus on the Rights of Women”.

The Head of the Sudanese Women Delegation briefed the Commissioner for Political Affairs on the negative impact of the sanctions imposed on Sudan by the United States of America since 1997. She further added that the sanctions have resulted in myriad of humanitarian and human rights violations with a large impact on the development of the Sudanese people particularly in the health and education sectors. In an increasingly globalized world which relies on technology and the access to new research and studies, it is fair to state that the advances on education, literacy and health have been reversed in the past two decade as a direct result of these unjust sanctions.

The Head of the Sudanese Women Delegation also added that Educational losses has increased, mostly amongst girls, due to the deteriorating economic and living conditions thus resulting in a serious violation of their right to education under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and all covenants and conventions, including the CEDAW and the Maputo protocol for the Rights of Women in African. She also added that People and Women in Sudan also face health challenges as a result of these sanctions. Statistics show an increase in the maternal mortality rate in addition to cancer patients. This is due to the lack of access to life-saving medicines or necessary machines or machine parts needed for early detection and treatment. The inability to import life-saving drugs and machines is itself a violation to the right of life or health.

H.E. Dr. Aisha L. Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission received a statement from the Sudanese Women Delegation requesting the African Union to condemn the U.S. Sanctions on Sudan by issuing a strong Declaration during the forthcoming 26th Assembly of the Union, which is to take place on 30-31 January 2016 here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Dr. Abdullahi also assured the delegation of the support of the African Union to the Sudan and the Sudanese People and promised to share the Statement with the relevant entities including the High Panel for Sudan.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Yusuf Mohammed

Office of the Commissioner for Political Affairs

Mohammedy@africa-union.org

Tel: +251-11-551 77 00

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission

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