Decision on Galvanizing Political Commitment Towards the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in Africa

DECISION ON GALVANISING POLITICAL COMMITMENT TOWARDS
THE ELIMINATION OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION IN AFRICA

The Assembly,

1. RECALLS Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.383(XVII) adopted at the 17^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2011, which called upon the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to adopt a resolution banning female genital mutilation worldwide in support of a draft resolution at the 66^th Ordinary Session of the UNGA of the to ban female genital mutilation in the world;

2. GUIDED by the aspirations of Africa’s Transformative Agenda 2063, on the elimination of all forms of gender based violence and harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation, and Target 5.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 5 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for the elimination of harmful practices, particularly female genital mutilation, by 2030;

3. COGNISANT of the positive efforts and partnerships led by Member States and support of the UNICEF, UNFPA and UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme ‘Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Accelerating Change’ to strengthen capacities and engage with communities to shift this harmful social norm towards collective abandonment of the practice;

4. REAFFIRMING the binding continental instruments that uphold the rights and welfare of children, young girls and women, including the 1990 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) and the 2003 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol);

5. RECOGNISING the strong and forward looking recommendations and commitments in the UNGA Resolutions A/RES/67/146 (2012), A/RES/69/150 (2014) and A/RES/71/168 (2016) on ‘Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations’ and the 2012 United Nations Secretary General’s Report to the General Assembly E/CN.6/2012/8 on ‘Ending Female Genital Mutilation’;

6. NOTING WITH CONCERN the high rates of female genital mutilation in Africa, where 50 million girls are at risk of undergoing this injurious, harmful practice by 2030, the human rights violation perpetuated and the lifelong health complications resulting from the practice and affecting the maternal health outcomes on the continent;

7. TAKES NOTE of the AU led Continental International Conference held in Ouagadougou in October 2018, under the theme ‘Galvanizing political Action to

Accelerate the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation by 2030’ and the Ouagadougou Call to Action on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation submitted by Member States and their commitment, therein , endorsing the AU continental initiative known as Saleema on eliminating female genital mutilation, to advance political action at national, sub-regional and continental levels, to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation, within the framework of regional instruments and agreements, and national legislation;

8. ENDORSES the AU continental initiative led by the Commission to be known as ‘Saleema: AU Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation’ and CALLS on Member States to implement the AU Initiative on Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation, with a focus on social norms and cultural dimensions addressing cross border practice of female genital mutilation; in addition to implementing strong legislative frameworks, allocating domestic financial resources, promoting use of evidence and data, regular reporting, and the engagement of civil society and community groups in ending female genital mutilation;

9. REQUESTS the Commission to put in place an accountability framework for the AU continental initiative - Saleema to assist Member States to account and monitor progress at the regional and national level in line with commitments made and ALSO REQUESTS the Commission to report periodically on female genital mutilation in Africa, through existing African Union instruments and platforms, including the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights;

10. DECIDES to designate H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kabore, President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, as the AU Leader for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and REQUESTS the Commission to convene annually a high-level meeting to review progress, strengthen partnership and renew commitment for action on the elimination of female genital mutilation by 2030.