NGEC Pushes Kenya to Fast-Track AU Treaty on Gender Violence

Kenya, July 9, 2026 - The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has intensified calls for Kenya to fast-track the ratification of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG), saying the treaty will strengthen the country's legal framework in tackling gender-based violence and femicide.

The push followed a high-level meeting between the Commission and African Union Commissioner Hon. Janet R. Sallah-Njie, who also serves as the AU Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and Vice-Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR).

The meeting brought together officials from NGEC and the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) to discuss strategies for expediting Kenya's ratification of the convention and aligning national laws and policies with continental standards on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.

Speaking during the engagement, Commissioner Sallah-Njie described the AU-CEVAWG as a landmark legal instrument designed to strengthen Africa's response to gender-based violence.

She said the convention complements the Maputo Protocol by providing a comprehensive framework for preventing violence, protecting survivors, improving access to justice, enhancing accountability, expanding survivor support services and promoting coordinated national responses.

According to the Commissioner, Kenya's early ratification would reinforce the country's leadership in advancing women's rights and gender equality across Africa while demonstrating its commitment to ending violence against women and girls.

The meeting ended with commitments to accelerate advocacy and stakeholder engagement involving the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children's Services, Parliament and KEWOPA to speed up the treaty approval process.

The African Union Commission also pledged to provide technical expertise and advocacy tools to support Kenya's ratification process.

The African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG) was adopted by African leaders in February 2025 as the continent's first legally binding treaty dedicated exclusively to preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls.

The convention was developed in response to rising cases of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual violence, harmful cultural practices, online abuse and the growing incidence of femicide across Africa.

It requires member states to strengthen legislation, allocate adequate resources, improve survivor-centred services, ensure access to justice, collect reliable data on violence against women and girls, and hold perpetrators accountable. It also calls for preventive measures through education, public awareness and multi-sectoral collaboration.

Kenya has made significant progress in addressing gender-based violence through laws such as the Sexual Offences Act and the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, as well as the implementation of the National Policy on Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence. However, rights groups and government agencies have continued to raise concerns over increasing cases of femicide and other forms of violence, underscoring the need for stronger legal and institutional frameworks.

If ratified, the AU convention is expected to complement Kenya's existing laws while enhancing regional cooperation in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.