IV Africa
| Author | Rachel Murray |
| Published date | 01 December 2004 |
| Date | 01 December 2004 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/016934410402200409 |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
IV AFRICA
RACHEL MURRAY*
1. ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU)/AFRICAN UNION (AU)
AND NEPAD
The African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child met in May 2004 at
its fourth session. In June members of civil society organisations met at the AU-CSO
Forum on the African Union and Civil Society Partnership for Unity, Peace,
Democracy and Development.
The Pan-African Parliament was inaugurated on 18 March 2004. Mrs Gertrude
Mongela from Tanzania was elected as President. It is seated in South Africa. The
second session took place in September. The Peace and Security Council was
launched in May 2004 and has met several times since, adopting communique´s on
various conflict situations.
1
The Summit of the AU met in July 2004 in Addis Ababa. The Assembly adopted
the Vision and Mission of the African Union and Strategic Plan of the Commission
2
and also a Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality.
3
This Declaration affirmed its
commitment to gender equality, approving the transformation of the African
Women’s Committee on Peace and Development into an African Women’s
Committee to act as an advisory body to the Chairperson of the AU Commission,
and for States to report periodically on implementation of the Declaration. It
affirmed the full and effective participation and representation of women in the
peace process, as well as its commitment to launch, within a year, a campaign for the
prohibition of recruitment of child soldiers and abuse of girl children, among other
issues. It also stressed that it would ‘expand and promote the gender parity
principle’ to all organs of the AU as well as take other measures to ensure the rights
of women to development, and their rights to property and education. AIDS Watch
Africa was established as a Unit within the Office of the Chairperson of the
Commission, and it was agreed that an African Trust Fund should be set up. In a
Decision on the Economic Empowerment of Women the Executive Council urged
member States to formulate a national policy on the subject and that the policy
should be included among the criteria in the African Peer Review Mechanism.
4
At the Summit the Assembly also adopted the Protocol to the OAU Convention
on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism,
5
as well as a number of declarations
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Vol. 22/4 (2004) 667
* Reader in Law, School of Law, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
1
See for example, on the situation in Darfur, Communique´, PSC/PR/Comm. (XIV ).
2
Decision on the Mission and Vision of the African Union and Strategic Plan, Programme and
Budget of the Commission, Assembly AU/Dec.33 (III)
3
Assembly/AU/Decl.12 (III).
4
Decision on the Economic Empowerment of Women, EX.CL/Dec.114 (V).
5
Assembly, AU/Dec.36 (III).
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