SOAWR members during the 'green card' campaign

Achievements and Success

Since its foundation in 2004, SOAWR has:

Produced advocacy material in various media including special issues of Pambazuka News
Published Not Yet a Force for Freedom; Breathing Life into the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights in Africa; and Grace, Tenacity and Eloquence: the struggle for women’s rights in Africa
Participated in African Union summits, engaging with ambassadors and ministers, holding press conferences and discussions with national civil society organisations
Initiated the ‘colour card campaign’ – SOAWR issued coloured cards to member states during African Union summits: green for countries that had ratified the protocol; yellow for those that had signed but not ratified it; and red for those that had not signed it
Written to African presidents on several occasions about their commitment to ratify, domesticate and implement the protocol as declared in their Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa adopted in July 2004.
Established working relations with the relevant AU departments to track the progress of ratification by member states
Brought together AU decision makers, government representatives and women’s leaders in parallel with African Union conferences and regional economic unions to ensure the visibility of women’s rights
Used a mobile phone campaign ‘Text now 4 women’s rights’ to popularise the protocol, enabling thousands of African cell phone users to join the campaign and be updated on the progress of ratification Held press conferences, television and radio interviews and issued press releases.

Measuring success

As of July 2007, 43 countries have signed and 22 have ratified the protocol
The protocol came into force on 25 November 2005, historically breaking all records for the speed with which an African human rights instrument has come into force
The coalition has generated and channelled significant grant funds to members.

Additionally, SOAWR has:

Created, opportunities for learning around the protocol
Gained experience of advocacy at regional level
Increased the visibility for women in national coalitions and networks
Mobilised women’s rights organisations in 17 countries to campaign for the protocol
Focused on the domestication and implementation of the protocol in key African countries where SOAWR has a presence
Identified lawyers from countries that have ratified the protocol and organised a lawyers’ meeting in December 2006 to discuss strategies for action
Increased its membership across the continent to 26 organisations.