Category: MIL-OSI

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SADC Extraordinary Summit considers Madagascar report

Source: Government of South Africa

SADC Extraordinary Summit considers Madagascar report

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will consider a report on the political and security situation in Madagascar.

Speaking at a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government convened on Wednesday, President Ramaphosa thanked regional leaders for responding to his invitation, saying the meeting was convened to consider a report from the Chairperson of the Organ on the political and security situation in the island nation of Madagascar.

He recalled that the region had met recently to address urgent organisational matters. 

“As you will recall, we convened a similar session during the past month to attend to an urgent issue pertaining to the leadership of our organisation,” he said. 

The President said Madagascar experienced political challenges in September 2025 that led to the formation of a transitional government. Following these developments, an Extraordinary SADC Organ Troika Summit was held on 16 October 2025 to assess the situation.

“The Organ Troika Summit resolved to urgently deploy a Technical Mission to undertake a fact-finding mission to Madagascar. The outcome of this mission is contained in the report we will be considering today,” he said.

President Ramaphosa said the developments in Madagascar highlighted the need to accelerate the implementation of regional development objectives under SADC Vision 2050, which seeks to achieve “a region whose peoples live in peace and harmony and can realise their economic potential.”

He reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to peace and stability through the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, which aims to promote peace, security, democracy and political stability, while fostering solidarity among the peoples of the region.

“Over the past years, we have made progress towards achieving these goals, notably with respect to consolidating democracy, promoting good governance, ensuring electoral integrity and deepening a culture of human rights,” President Ramaphosa said.

However, he cautioned that political and security challenges persist in parts of the region.

“The situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains of grave concern. We also stand in solidarity with the government and the people of Mozambique in their quest for stability and security in the Cabo Delgado province,” he said. 

Reflecting on Madagascar’s history, President Ramaphosa said the country has faced systemic political and security challenges, recalling SADC’s support in 2009 for a democratic and peaceful future. While progress had been made, he noted that recent developments showed that “much more work needs to be done to foster sustainable peace.”

“Like all peoples in our region and our continent, the people of Madagascar yearn for durable peace and development. We have a collective responsibility to make this a reality,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

DikelediM

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Marriage and migration: what happens when men return to the family home in Botswana

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Unaludo Sechele, Research Fellow, University of the Free State

The history of labour migration in Botswana can be linked to the discovery of gold and diamonds in South Africa in the late 19th century. South Africa needed cheap labour, and men from neighbouring territories were pulled into the workforce as unskilled or semi-skilled workers in mines, factories, kitchens and farms.

Mine recruitment agencies like the Native Recruiting Corporation and the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association began expanding recruitment networks in Botswana in the 1930s.

Men in Botswana – a British protectorate and largely rural economy at the time – were open to labour migration for several reasons. They had to pay taxes to the colonial administration, and for that they needed cash. Some needed to pay traditional bride price in cattle, acquire ploughs for agricultural production, or educate their children. Drought pushed some farmers to look for other work.

So men were forced leave their families and migrate to work in South Africa or Southern Rhodesia (today’s Zimbabwe). They would return home only about once a year. This left women as primary caregivers in their families, in a society with a patriarchal culture, where men are normally in charge. As a Tswana phrase puts it: “Mosadi ke ngwana wa monna – A woman is a man’s child.”

Families experienced a variety of challenges and changes as a result, and their responses to the circumstances varied. Previous studies have examined the effects of men’s absence, but there hasn’t been much historical research on the impact on women and families of their return. As a women’s historian I was interested in this aspect.

I interviewed 33 rural women in Botswana’s north-east and central disricts whose husbands had been away between 1970 and 2015 to ask them how this had affected them. From what they told me, it became apparent that most marriages did not work out for the best.

Their stories and perspectives add to what’s known about the economic and social impact of labour migration in the southern African region.

Labour migration and the disruption of families

Previous research has found that labour migration damaged families in the countries that provided workers. The tightly knit cooperative, social and economic unit became economically dependent on migrants’ income. Although it improved people’s lives economically, labour migration separated husbands and wives for long periods.

In Tswana society, marriage is typically seen as a husband and wife living together to raise children and make decisions. However, for women married to migrant workers, the situation was quite different. They spent much time apart; they only spent time together when the husband came home to visit, was on leave, or was between jobs.

It also shifted women’s social and economic status – and traditional gender roles. Even though the absent husband retained power over strategic family decisions, male migration improved the position of women, who became, in practice, heads of the house.

However, miners returned home when retired, retrenched or injured. Many also came back to Botswana following Botswana’s independence in 1966 and the discovery of diamonds in the country in 1967.

According to national censuses, the number of people living abroad decreased from 45,735 in 1971 to 38,606 in 1991 and 28,210 in 2001.

As these miners returned home, they removed their wives from critical aspects of running the household and reclaimed their roles as heads of families.

The return of husbands

My research aimed to analyse the redistribution of responsibilities and power dynamics between husbands and wives when migrants returned to Botswana.

The interviews with women revealed a range of outcomes. Three cases illustrate them. (I have changed the names to protect identities.)

Conflict

According to Julia Keneetswe, her husband’s return and attempt to reassert authority caused conflicts. Keneetswe provided a brief background of her marriage and the type of parent her husband was when he was working in the mines. She claimed that her husband’s contract was terminated because of violence. She stated that after his return, he was a violent man who nearly killed her.

Keneetswe said:

My husband was already at the mines when we got married. He would not come home even for the Christmas holidays or support the children. Since he came home after being fired for fighting with a colleague at the mine, there hasn’t been any peace. This man is extremely violent … He is also a useless drunkard, but I can’t leave him because where will I go, so I will just stay here and mind my own business while he takes care of his.

It is important to highlight that most women did not simply sit back and wait for their husbands to return; instead, they empowered themselves in various ways.

Independence

For example, Mary Mojadi had progressed to become head of department at the primary school where she was teaching. As a result of the differences they had when her husband returned, she opted to leave the marriage since she was not only educated and aware of her rights but also was financially stable and had the means to start a new life by herself.

Similarly, Kelebogile Sejo told me she had been on the village development committee for several years, a position that garnered her respect in the community. Although she was not the one who initiated the divorce, she did not oppose it because she had proved to herself over the years that she could build a life for herself and her children without depending on her husband.

Reunion

Not all reunions ended in fights and divorce. Beta Mojela’s experience was different. She said that when her husband left for the mines, she was left with nothing but uncultivated land. She took it upon herself to start a horticultural business, which became successful. When her husband retired, he returned home to an up-and-running business, and they continued working together to grow the business.

Conclusion

My research looked at labour migration from Botswana through a feminist lens. It noted that migration was a challenge to the patriarchal nature of Tswana society – the belief that men ought to be the head of the family.

Some women who had spent significant time without husbands failed to adjust to life in the shadow of their husbands when they returned. Miscommunication and a lack of compromise led to conflicts in some marriages. But there were cases in which the couples reunited.

The return of husbands did not have the same results or reception for different families. Nonetheless, these circumstances allowed some women to evolve as heads of families and become more independent.

– Marriage and migration: what happens when men return to the family home in Botswana
– https://theconversation.com/marriage-and-migration-what-happens-when-men-return-to-the-family-home-in-botswana-270403

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South Africa’s economy is turning the corner 

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa’s economy is turning the corner 

By Nomonde Mnukwa

As the year draws to a close and we stand on the threshold of a new year in 2026, the prevailing sentiment regarding our economy is one of confident optimism. Despite the formidable challenges our economy has navigated, we are now definitively turning the corner, accelerating towards a more stable and prosperous economic future.

It’s our spirit of never giving up and ingenuity that has made it possible for us to rise above recent hard times. Our ability to ‘make a plan,’ swiftly adapt to shifting circumstances, and pull together despite our differences is now paying dividends as we observe clear signs of a stronger economy.

In his recent address to the nation on South Africa’s successful hosting of the G20 Summit, President Cyril Rampahosa said: “Through the work we are doing together, we are beginning to see the green shoots of an emerging economic recovery. Unemployment has fallen in recent months. Our public finances are improving, allowing us to steadily reduce our national debt.”

The latest numbers show we have turned the corner towards a growth trajectory. For the first time since 2008, government debt is starting to level off. That means after years of borrowing more than we earned, we are changing direction and our country’s finances are getting healthier. Next year, debt is expected to stabilise at 77.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

This financial year, we project a primary budget surplus, which means we are no longer borrowing money just to cover day-to-day costs. By 2028/29, this surplus is expected to grow, freeing up more money to fund basic services like health care facilities and interventions to grow the economy to enable job creation. 
With the 7th administration’s no one priority being job creation, in the third quarter of 2025, more than 248,000 new jobs were created. The total employment is now over 17.1 million, marking the highest level recorded this year and confirming our steady path to full economic recovery. In a country where unemployment hurts so many families, these new jobs change lives and bring real hope.

The economy has posted its fourth straight gain with gross domestic product (GDP) expanding 0.5 per cent in the third quarter of the year, signalling an economy that is stabilising and beginning to build resilience.  Importantly, the growth was broad-based with mining, agriculture, trade, retail and accommodation all contributing positively which demonstrates that our economic recovery is taking root across multiple sectors rather than relying on a single driver. 

The agribusiness confidence also bounced back in the final quarter of the year, rising by five points to 67 in the Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI). 

Furthermore, initiatives such as the Youth Employment Service (YES) have to date, placed over 202 558 young South Africans in 12-month quality work experiences. The initiative which is enabled by more than 1 900 corporate partners has become a key driver of South Africa’s economic transformation, focusing on digital and technological skills development. 

The upward trend provides a solid foundation for stronger performance ahead, signalling renewed confidence and laying groundwork for deeper investment, job creation, and long-term economic renewal.

One of the clearest signs that things are improving came from S&P Global Ratings which recently upgraded South Africa’s outlook. For investors around the world and domestically, this says our reforms and careful financial management is working. South Africa is becoming a place people want to invest in again.
Eskom continues to provide consistent energy supply with South Africa having experienced 169 consecutive days without load shedding during the second quarter of the current financial year. 

This upward trend is not simply luck, but bold reforms that have set our economy on a new path. Through Operation Vulindlela we are fixing ports, speeding up new energy projects and cutting red tape, all of which are starting to deliver real results.

Structural changes like the establishment of a separate Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager to manage the rail network while allowing for open access where private train operating companies (TOCs) can run their own trains, will bring about more competition, reducing costs, and ultimately shifting freight from road to rail. 

As part of major rail reforms, 41 freight rail routes will be opened to 11 selected private Train Operating Companies and will result in rail volumes increasing from 160-million tons to 250-million tons by 2030.

Moreover, joint work between Transnet, police and private companies has cleared blockages, reopened routes and made freight movement faster and safer. Businesses are saving money, factories can produce more, and our exports are growing.

Keeping inflation under control means more money back in people’s pockets as price increases are kept in check. Government wants to bring inflation even lower and has tasked the Reserve Bank to keep inflation around 3 per cent, which will match the best-performing countries.

Furthermore, we have also been taken off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. In just two and a half years, government kept its promise to tighten rules and enhanced our ability to combat illegal money flows. Being off the grey list improves our reputation, makes it easier to do business overseas and attracts more investors. It shows the world we are serious about good governance.

Our hosting the G20 Summit last month has been a game-changer for South Africa. The images of a safe, organised and vibrant South Africa went around the globe. Heads of State and Business leaders who flew in for the summit saw with their own eyes the world class infrastructure and our budding potential.
The progress we have made is real. Our strengths now outweigh the problems, and we are putting effort in fixing the remaining challenges with clear plans and teamwork.

While turning the corner is a big step, our journey is not finished, we must keep the momentum. Government, business, workers and communities all need to keep working together, supporting reforms, investing, innovating and making sure growth reaches every South African.

South Africa has entered a time of new possibility. If we stay united and keep pushing forward, the good signs we see today will grow into a strong, fair and thriving economy that works for all of us.

*Mnukwa is the Acting Director-General of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).

 

Neo

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NTCSA provides update on Mozal electricity supply agreement negotiations

Source: Government of South Africa

NTCSA provides update on Mozal electricity supply agreement negotiations

The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) has confirmed that it is committed to concluding a new electricity supply agreement with the Mozal aluminium smelter in Mozambique.

In an update on the Mozal smelter, the NTCSA said it is committed to a new agreement as well as to protect South African electricity consumers from unintended cost impacts.  

“The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), a subsidiary of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, confirms that it remains committed to concluding a new electricity supply agreement with the Mozal aluminium smelter in Mozambique, in a manner that safeguards the NTCSA’s financial stability and protects South African electricity consumers from unintended cost impacts. The long standing supply agreement between the parties has been in place for more than 20 years, and all parties were aware that the new agreement is due on 15 March 2026,” the NTCSA said on Wednesday.

It added that to remain globally competitive, the Mozal smelter requires an electricity price that is significantly lower than the direct cost of supply.

“It has become clear that this arrangement is not sustainable for the NTCSA going forward. As such, a mutually beneficial solution, developed collaboratively with stakeholders in both Mozambique and South Africa, is essential to support regional industrial activity, while ensuring the NTCSA’s financial sustainability and fairness to South African electricity consumers.

“The NTCSA will continue engaging with stakeholders in both countries to explore the feasibility of such an arrangement,” NTCSA Chief Executive Officer, Monde Bala said.

It further added that the Negotiated Price Agreements (NPA) policy mechanism provided by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), does not extend beyond South Africa’s borders.

“The NTCSA remains available and open to finding a solution for the Mozal smelter. We have consistently indicated, over the past year, an appropriate price range for the supply of electricity to secure a new supply agreement with our valued customer,” Bala said.

The NTCSA remains committed to supporting industrial operations within a lawful and economically sustainable framework that balances the needs of industry with the rights of all customers.

Safeguarding households and small businesses from unintended cost impacts remains central to Eskom’s mandate.

The NTCSA will provide further updates as and when developments arise. –SAnews.gov.za

Neo

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Minister Simelane to conduct oversight visit to Free State housing project 

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister Simelane to conduct oversight visit to Free State housing project 

Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane, is expected to conduct an oversight visit to the Baken Park Catalytic Housing Project located in Bethlehem in the Free State today, Thursday, 18 December 2025. 

“The project, expected to cost over R370 million, is a mixed-income residential development which to yield 1248 housing units on completion. These include First Home Finance, Breaking New Ground (BNG), and social housing. Already one hundred serviced sites have been released for First Home Finance, thus enabling the missing middle to build houses for themselves,” the Department of Human Settlements said in a statement. 

The Minister will be joined on her oversight visit by Free State Premier Ma-Queen Letsoha-Mathae.

According to the department, the project represents a strategic intervention aligned with national and provincial priorities to accelerate housing delivery, promote spatial transformation, and stimulate inclusive economic growth.

The in-loco inspection will be led by MEC for CoGTA and Human Settlements, Saki Mokoena, and the Executive Mayor of Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Tseki Tseki. –SAnews.gov.za 
 

Neo

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Call for students to apply for scholarship to study in Germany

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for students to apply for scholarship to study in Germany

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has officially opened a call for applications to eligible South African students for a fully funded scholarship to study in Germany at the Constructor University. 

 The scholarship is for a fully funded Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD studies, under the Funda Germany Scholarship Programme, commencing in September 2026.

“Constructor University is an English-medium, campus university in Bremen, ranked among the top 30% globally.  With students from around 120 different nations, it is among the world’s most international universities, offering Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in a wide variety of fields,” the department said.

Who can apply for the scholarship?

  • South African citizens in good health.
  • Students with a strong academic record.
  • Bachelor applicants require a minimum average of 65% or above in their NSC (including Life Orientation as well as Mathematics and 1 other STEM subject).
  • Postgraduate applicants should have performed well in their previous studies, with a minimum of 60% average mark or above achieved in their previous studies.
  • Must have an interest to study in Germany and demonstrate commitment to the development of South Africa.
  • Available and eligible to study full-time in Germany from September 2026.
  • Meet the entry criteria for the selected study programme at Constructor University.

Fields of Study

  • A wide range of study fields is available for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and PhD projects, including various engineering fields, robotics, management, mathematics, fuel cell development, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, computational systems biology, nano electronics, specialist areas in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics and geosciences, social data sciences, cognitive psychology, computer science, biotechnology, accounting and auditing, political sciences, international logistics, computational drug discovery, communication science, history, economics, sociology and many more.

Deadline for receipt of applications

  • 15 February 2026

A comprehensive list of fields of study for the Bachelor’s degree is available at https://constructor.university/programs/undergraduate-education and for Master’s programmes at https://constructor.university/programs/graduate-education.

A comprehensive list of fields of study for the PhD can be accessed via https://constructor.university/phd-degrees-constructor-university

What the scholarship offers

The scholarship will cover the following:

  • Return airfare to Germany.
  • Tuition fees.
  • Monthly stipend for living expenses.
  • Accommodation.
  • A once-off settlement allowance.
  • Annual flights at the end of the academic year for Bachelor’s students. Master’s students may qualify for annual flights if accommodated on campus.
  • Mid-term flights after 18 months (PhD students).
  • Medical insurance allowance.
  • An annual allowance at the beginning of each academic year.
  • Academic support for qualifying postgraduate students.
  • Psychosocial support.
  • Pre-departure orientation.
  • SAQA verification of qualification and one professional board examination (if applicable).

Application process

Application for the scholarships is strictly online via the application portal.

Applicants at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level are required to complete the online application on the Constructor University application portal, accessible on the website by the deadline indicated and fulfil all requirements as stipulated.

Successful awardees who withdraw from the programme after signing the Constructor University contract will be liable for the full costs as stipulated in the Constructor University student contract. 

More information about the scholarship is available on: https://www.internationalscholarships.dhet.gov.za/index.php/scholarships/undergraduate-scholarships/496-germany-dhet-funda-germany-scholarship-programme-2026-2027. – SAnews.gov.za

nosihle

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African States urged to strengthen women’s rights protections amid rising anti-gender pushback

Source: APO

At the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) 85th Ordinary Session, leading women’s rights organisation Equality Now (www.EqualityNow.org) issued a stark warning: women and girls across Africa continue to suffer serious human rights violations due to state inaction.

Equality Now urges all African governments to urgently enact and implement comprehensive measures to fulfil their legal obligations to uphold women’s and girls’ rights, outlined in key regional human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, widely known as the Maputo Protocol. Human rights lawyer Deborah Nyokabi delivered Equality Now’s statement to the ACHPR (https://apo-opa.co/4pcnzEA), highlighting where states are falling short of their commitments.

Nyokabi pointed to weak legal safeguards against sexual violence, limited access to justice and support services, widespread impunity for perpetrators, and persistent failures to tackle sexual exploitation and trafficking. She also stressed how the lack of reproductive healthcare is a preventable crisis putting millions of women, girls, and babies at risk. Another concern is the rise of anti-gender rights movements seeking to dismantle legal protections and block progress.

Barriers to justice for sexual and gender-based violence survivors

Across Africa, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence continue to face formidable barriers to justice and support services, despite strong regional legal frameworks and progressive sexual violence laws in some jurisdictions.

Equality Now’s report, Barriers to Justice: Rape in Africa, Law, Practice and Access to Justice (https://apo-opa.co/44zPoPx), revealed that while rape is one of Africa’s most pervasive crimes, the majority of cases don’t make it to court, and even fewer result in a conviction. Gaps in laws and weak enforcement, under-resourced judicial systems, limited political will, and pervasive victim-blaming and discrimination foster a culture of impunity that emboldens perpetrators.

African governments must address sexual violence in conflict

A high-profile case illustrating the weaponisation of sexual violence by state actors was shared by Ugandan lawyer, journalist, and activist Agather Atuhaire (https://apo-opa.co/3L3he01), who has spoken out about being raped and tortured in Tanzanian state custody after being arrested on her way to support political opposition leader Tundu Lissu, a critic of Tanzania’s government.

Sudan’s devastating war provides a harrowing example of how sexual violence increases during conflict. In 2025, the International Criminal Court spoke of rape being used as a weapon of war (https://apo-opa.co/4p4dJo5), and a UN Fact-Finding Mission reported large-scale ethnically targeted sexual violence (https://apo-opa.co/3L9Wd3L).

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Ministry of Health recorded 73,400 sexual violence cases (https://apo-opa.co/4s92RYW) between January and July 2025, a 16% increase from the previous period. Alarmingly, the actual number is likely far higher, as countless incidents go unreported due to stigma, fear, insecurity, and significant legal and logistical obstacles faced by survivors in conflict-affected areas.

In August 2025, a historic judgment by the ACHPR held the DRC accountable for widespread sexual violence (https://apo-opa.co/4pHRtRQ) in a case filed to obtain justice for survivors of atrocities committed by Congolese military personnel on January 1, 2011, in South Kivu, where over 50 women were raped and tortured, with some murdered. The ACHRP ruled the DRC had violated multiple provisions of the African Charter and Maputo Protocol, including the rights to life, health, dignity, and protection from torture. Crucially, it recognised the gendered nature of the crimes, setting a precedent.

Nyokabi highlighted concerns over the DRC’s inaction following the ACHRP’s ruling, urging the government to issue a formal public apology to survivors, implement comprehensive reparative measures, and prosecute perpetrators. Equality Now also calls for a robust follow-up to ensure compliance with the ACHPR’s decision, including a hearing on the implementation status and reporting by the DRC within the mandated 180-day period.

In Kenya, 2025 marked a historic first: the Kenyan government paid compensation for conflict-related sexual violence (https://apo-opa.co/4q2QMmF) to four survivors of the 2007–2008 post-election unrest. While this represents a significant step toward accountability, it remains deeply inadequate as hundreds of survivors of post-election sexual violence have received no redress.

Sexual exploitation and human trafficking

Sexual exploitation and trafficking are pervasive across Africa, fuelled by poverty, conflict, climate change, displacement, and cross-border trafficking. Although legal instruments exist, enforcement is inconsistent, and better-coordinated regional action is urgently needed.

Governments must move from commitment to implementation by harmonising and strengthening anti-trafficking laws, ensuring reparations for survivors, and investing in specialised justice mechanisms and survivor-centred services.

Anti-gender rights movements in Africa

The rise of anti-gender rights movement (https://apo-opa.co/4rYXfQR) is jeopardising legal protections for women and girls and threatening to undo decades of legal progress, endangering the well-being of millions. These efforts are not occurring in isolation. Well-funded international networks are increasingly influencing, coordinating with, and empowering African actors who oppose gender equality.

At a regional convening in Kenya in June 2025, ultra-conservative campaigners from the US and Europe joined African counterparts to advance an agenda framed as “promoting and protecting the sanctity of life, family values, and religious freedom.” In practice, their regressive plan contests reproductive healthcare, comprehensive sexuality education, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Emerging from the convening is the ‘Draft African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values.’ Composed without participation from women’s rights organisations, this charter promotes a narrow model of the “traditional family” and womenhood rooted in rigid, hierarchical gender roles that discriminate against women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals.  It disregards diversity in family structures and aims to eliminate essential protections for family life and marriage equality.

Anti-gender rights ideology ignores the reality documented in Equality Now’s report, Gender Inequality in Family Laws in Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4p2i8aW), which identifies how family life for many women and girls is blighted by control, violence, discrimination, and marginalisation.

Anti-gender rights actors jeopardise efforts to end FGM

A troubling example of anti-gender rights activism is illustrated by a constitutional challenge submitted to The Gambia’s Supreme Court, requesting the country’s law banning FGM be overturned on the grounds that it violates Gambians’ constitutional rights to cultural, traditional, and religious freedoms. This follows a failed attempt in 2024, when MPs rejected a bill to repeal anti-FGM legislation.

Those striving to end FGM reject assertions that the practice is cultural or religious, emphasising that no tradition or religion can justify violating the rights, health, and safety of women and girls.

A 2025 ECOWAS Court ruling found Sierra Leone liable for human rights violations due to its failure to criminalise FGM (https://apo-opa.co/4pLlcJS), which the Court said “meets the threshold of torture.” Despite this judgment, the government still hasn’t banned the practice. In neighbouring Liberia, FGM remains legal and pervasive. However, a bill to permanently ban all harmful practices affecting girls and women, including FGM, is being considered by lawmakers.

Equality Now calls on every African government to fully enforce existing anti-FGM laws and swiftly introduce legislation where legal protections are lacking.

Africa’s reproductive justice crisis

Africa remains the most dangerous place globally to give birth, accounting for 70% of maternal deaths worldwide (https://apo-opa.co/48Mqm28). Most are preventable, with child marriage, criminalisation of healthcare services, and unsafe abortion all contributing factors.

Despite regional commitments, national laws often contain contradictions that hinder access to reproductive healthcare. In countries such as Kenya and Nigeria, outdated and overlapping laws create fear among healthcare providers and discourage them from offering safe abortion services. In Tanzania and Uganda, restrictive laws and policy reservations on the Maputo Protocol block access to critical reproductive healthcare.

Equality Now requests that the ACHPR continue advocating for African Union Member States to harmonise national laws with the Maputo Protocol’s Article 14, which specifies that women’s right to sexual and reproductive health should be ensured.

Nyokabi concludes, “Africa’s civil society urges ACHPR Member States to uphold their binding commitments. Legal equality is not optional. It is a prerequisite for lasting peace, development, and justice.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now.

Notes to editors:
For media enquiries,contact
Michelle Tuva
Regional Communications Officer, Africa
mtuva@equalitynow.org

Tara Carey
Global Head of Media
Equality Now
Tcarey@equalitynow.org
T. +44 (0)7971556340 (available on WhatsApp and Signal)

Social Media:
Bluesky: https://apo-opa.co/4skZU7J
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/44xT2cG
Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4s4oR76
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/4p1C0Lp

About Equality Now:
Equality Now (www.EqualityNow.org) is a worldwide human rights organisation dedicated to securing the legal and systemic change needed to end discrimination against all women and girls. Since its inception in 1992, it has played a role in reforming 120 discriminatory laws globally, positively impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of women and girls, their communities, and nations, both now and for generations to come.

Working with partners at national, regional and global levels, Equality Now draws on deep legal expertise and a diverse range of social, political and cultural perspectives to continue to lead the way in steering, shaping and driving the change needed to achieve enduring gender equality, to the benefit of all.

Access our groundbreaking report on rape in Africa that analyses sexual violence laws and law enforcement practices across 47 countries in Africa, including DRC: Barriers to Justice: Rape in Africa, Law, Practice and Access to Justice (https://apo-opa.co/44zPoPx).

For more details, go to www.EqualityNow.org

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Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meets Secretary General of the Organization of American States

Source: Government of Qatar

Washington, December 17, 2025

HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met in Washington today with HE Secretary General of the Organization of American States Albert Ramdin.

The meeting focused on ways to enhance cooperation between the State of Qatar and the Organization of American States. It also discussed several regional issues, particularly developments in Latin America. The meeting also saw both sides exchange views on how to bolster dialogue and understanding, and advance regional stability.

The two sides stressed the importance of strengthening channels of communication and cooperation to serve joint interests and advance peace, development, and stability efforts regionally and internationally.

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Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meets US Deputy Secretary of State

Source: Government of Qatar

Washington, December 17, 2025

HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met with HE Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America Christopher Landau, on the sidelines of the seventh strategic dialogue between the two countries, which is being held in Washington, D.C.

The meeting focused on discussing the strong, strategic bilateral ties between the State of Qatar and the United States of America, as well as the means to enhance them in various fields. It also addressed regional and international issues of joint interest.

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Qatar, US Hold Session on Regional Cooperation as Part of 7th Qatar-US Strategic Dialogue

Source: Government of Qatar

Washington, December 17, 2025

The State of Qatar and the United States of America held a session on regional and international cooperation, as part of the seventh strategic dialogue between the two countries in Washington, D.C.

The Qatari side was chaired by HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi. The US side was chaired by HE Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.

The meeting dealt with discussing the latest developments in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, the Great Lakes Region, the Sahel Region, Afghanistan, and Latin America, in addition to several regional and international issues of joint interest.