Maputo Protocol vs. AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: A Comparative Analysis Report

As African Union member states consider ratification of the AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (CEVAWG), this comparative analysis asks a urgent question: does the new instrument strengthen existing protections, or risk diluting them? Using the Maputo Protocol as a benchmark, the report offers an article-by-article review across 24 thematic areas and finds that while CEVAWG introduces important contemporary themes, it often relies on neutral, procedural, and ambiguous language that reduces clarity, weakens accountability, and leaves too much room for minimal implementation.

Published as part of the Pause for Purpose campaign, this report aims to raise the gaps and support a clear call: pause ratification pending revisions, not because Africa does not need this convention, but because it needs a convention that is truly fit for purpose.