On the second day of the 48th Executive Council, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea took a landmark step toward advancing women’s rights by officially signing the African Union Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG). The Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Simeón Oyono Esono Angüe, signed the Convention on behalf of H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea and AU Champion on refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa.

Strategic Momentum on the Margins of the Summit

This historic signing occurs on the eve of a High-level Breakfast Meeting on Financing and Reaffirming Africa’s Gender Commitments. That event, organized by the AU Champion for Gender and Development Issues, H.E. John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, aimed to bridge the gap between policy declarations and impactful financial commitments. Equatorial Guinea’s accession as the eighth signatory strengthens this continental momentum, moving the AU closer to the Convention's entry into force, which will enter into force upon reaching a minimum of fifteen (15) ratifications. This additional signature reinforces growing continental momentum toward making violence against women and girls legally unacceptable across Africa.

A Call for Action Over Rhetoric

During the ceremony at the African Union Headquarters, H.E. Simeón Oyono Esono Angüe emphasized that this commitment transcends mere policy: “This signature is an action that solidifies our nation's legacy of leadership in championing gender equality and ensuring accountability in the fight against violence, setting a vital benchmark for the continent.”

The ceremony was witnessed by Mrs. Mari Cruz Evuna Andeme, Secretary of State for International Organizations, alongside senior AU officials, Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Ms. Ilwad Elmi Mohamed, representing the Director of the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD), Ms. Mtendere Gondwe, representing the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union Commission.

The Road to Ratification

Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie commended the move, stating, “The African Union looks forward to Equatorial Guinea’s leadership driving Africa’s gender equality and women’s empowerment agenda forward.”

Equatorial Guinea joins Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Gambia, Angola, Liberia, Burundi and Ghana as the first wave of nations to sign the AU-CEVAWG. The African Union Commission (AUC) continues to urge all Member States to accelerate the signature, ratification and domestication of this Convention to ensure a "legally protected reality" for women and girls across the continent.

The AU-CEVAWG represents a historic step in consolidating Africa’s normative architecture on gender equality, reinforcing the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights and other continental commitments to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

For further information, please contact: 

Ms. Ilwad Elmi Mohamed | Ag. Head of Division, Youth Development and Engagement / Senior Policy Officer-Women’s Rights, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: ElmiMohamedI@AfricanUnion.org

Ms. Lindiwe Patience Mugabe | Programme Specialist, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: MugabeL@AfricanUnion.org

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Ms. Adele Onguene Atangana | Communications Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: AtanganaA@AfricanUnion.org