The President Forum of Nigerian Women in Politics, (FONWIP) Hon Florence Gbinigie has commended world leaders for their commitment towards the call for a global treaty on violence Against Women and Girls.
She was reacting to a statement credited to the President of the Republic of Congo, Felix -Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo during the inaugural African Union Men’s Conference recently.
The president of the Republic of Congo, Fèlix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo who double as the 2021 Chairperson of the African Union, had publicly echoed Everywoman’s call for a global treaty on Violence Against Women and Girls. This was made known at Kinshasa during his closing of the inaugural African Union Men’s Conference on “Positive Masculinity: Galvanizing Positive Masculinity to end the scourge of violence in Africa.” At this conference, the Kinshasa Declaration on Positive Masculinities was adopted, which President Tshisekedi noted as the “very first Continental Declaration dedicated to fight Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Critically, he indicated that the African Union recognizes the need for a legally binding mechanism.
His statement;
” I take advantage of this occasion, through adopting this Continental Declaration, to launch a stringent appeal in favor of signing up to an international treaty on ending Violence Against Women and Girls. ”
This is a follow up from last year’s 750 Civil Society Organizations advocate and more than 60 Congolese NGOs wrote to the president urged him to advocate for a global treaty.
It is also a follow-up from the launch of the Every Woman’s first draft Treaty in November 16, 2021and the September 24, 2021 call for a new binding global norm from President Muhammadu Buhari and Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro.