AWD Report 2020
Country
Reservation
Uganda
Art. 14(1)(a) on women entirely the right to control their fertility regardless of their marital status Art. 14(2)(c) on access to safe abortion “Article 14(1)(a): In respect to the women’s right to control their fertility interpreted to mean; women entirely have the right to control their fertility regardless of their marital status” “Article 14(2)(c): interpreted in a way conferring an individual right to abortion or mandating a State Party to provide access thereto. The State is not bound by this clause unless permitted by domestic legislation expressly providing for abortion”
1.2. The Maputo Plan of Action The Maputo Plan of Action (MPoA) was adopted in January 2006 at the AU Heads of State Summit. It offers a costed plan of action for the operationalisation and implementation of the Continental Policy Framework (CPF) for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). See Box 2.
Box 2. The Continental Policy Framework for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights The CPF for SRHR was developed in response to the call for reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality and the mainstreaming of SRHR in primary health care to work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The AUC developed this framework in collaboration with UNFPA, the International Planned Parenthood Federation African Regional Office and other development partners.
The first MPoA covered the period from 2007 to 2010, after which it was extended to 2015. After undertaking an extensive review of this period, the AU Heads of State endorsed the revised MPoA. The overall goal of the MPoA is “for African Governments, civil society, the private sector and all multisector development partners to join forces and redouble efforts so that together, the effective implementation of the continental policy framework on SRHR, Agenda 2063 and SDGs are achieved in order to end preventable maternal, newborn, child and adolescent deaths by expanding contraceptive use, reducing levels of unsafe abortion, ending child marriage, eradicating harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation and eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls and ensuring access of adolescents and youth to SRHR by 2030 in all countries in Africa.”192 The MPoA is considered as the AU’s attempt to operationalise Article 14 of the Maputo Protocol. Applying it in conjunction with the two General Comments on Article 14 of the Protocol, adopted by the Commission, will go a long way in aiding AU Member States to fulfil their obligations under the Protocol and usher in an era of health rights enjoyment for African women.
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