By Ibrahim Mansaray
Freetown, 17th November 2025- Purposeful, a prominent civil society operating in Sierra Leone, has held a one-day engagement echoing the call for a Pause for the revision and strengthening of the ratification of African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG), which was adopted in February 2025 at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The roundtable brought together Government representatives, civil society groups, academics and the media to discuss the key gaps identified in the CEVAWG. The Convention was developed to complement and strengthen the Maputo Protocol, reinforcing Africa’s unified and coordinated response to ending domestic violence in the continent.
Purposeful points out that, however, the process leading to the adoption of CEVAWG revealed significant gaps. Marked by limited transparency, inadequate consultation with stakeholders and exclusion of women’s rights groups, Purposeful says this situation in the drafting and adoption stages resulted in missed opportunities to align with the Maputo Protocol and other global and human rights instruments.
This prompted the move calling for a revision.
“We are asking people to join us in this campaign, asking for a revision and clarity,” said Purposeful’s Advocacy Director Josephine Kamara. “We should not just sign if it is not bridging the gap.”
Some of the gaps identified include narrow definitions of key terms that shape the Conventions framework, terms like femicide and cyberspace are mentioned but undefined and the exclusion or no mention of Female Genital Mutilation, among others.
The Pause for Purpose Campaign- During Purposeful’s Engagement, it discussed the Pause for Purpose Campaign, which was launched by civil society calling for the pausing of the Ratification of the AU CEVAWG with the aim of strengthening it in order to make it fully deliver on its objective.
While it may seem to some that the campaign is a rejection of the convention or an attempt to dismiss or undo the progress achieved, the Pause for Purpose is said to be a collective demand for a Convention that is fit for Purpose and a call for a Treaty that meets this moment and reflects the lived realities of African Women and Girls.
The Campaign outlines a five-step pathway to revision with the pause setting in motion other steps including building a coalition of supportive member states, initiating the formal revision process, securing endorsement at the Assembly and finally adopting and reopening for ratification and adoption.
A Useful Gathering for Participants Commitments and Letters- Many of the People who participated in the engagement said it was a useful one, with some people from the Ministries, who will be going to the AU, saying it was the first time they were attending an engagement to discuss a convention before going to discuss it at the continental gathering.
Commitments were made by these Ministries focal persons to relay the concerns to their offices. Sierra Leone Association Journalists (SLAJ) President Alhaji Manika Kamara, Truth Media’s Co-Founder Amadu Lamrana Bah and other media heads also made inputs and registered their commitments to creating spaces and platforms for public discussions that foster understanding, engagement and contribution.
As part of continued advocacy, Purposeful has also written letters to the AU echoing the call for the review and Strengthening of the Convention. In the letter which will be co-signed by civil society and the media, Purposeful said that it notes “with deep concern that the Convention, in both its substance and process, contains gaps that may undermine its effectiveness and credibility.” The same call is made in another letter to the Ministers of Gender, Justice, Foreign Affairs and Health.
