The recent inter-parliamentary conference in Accra, Ghana, has set the stage for a contentious draft charter that fundamentally challenges international human rights commitments across Africa. Spearheaded by a coalition of African lawmakers, the proposed treaty asserts that sexual and reproductive rights are a direct threat to the continent’s traditional family structures, a claim that has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organisations and legal experts alike.
A Step Backwards for Human Rights
During the opening address, Ghana’s parliamentary speaker, Alban Bagbin, articulated the conference’s intent to reinforce African sovereignty against what he described as intrusive foreign ideologies. The draft charter, which seeks to realign legal frameworks across member states, advocates for a moralistic interpretation of family values, explicitly rejecting the principles laid out in key international agreements such as the 2003 Maputo Protocol. This protocol is pivotal in promoting gender equality and safeguarding the reproductive rights of women and girls.
Critics of the charter argue that its proposals could undermine decades of progress in reproductive health and gender equality. The document posits that the promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights equates to increased abortion access and undermines the integrity of the family unit, a viewpoint that many see as excessively narrow and regressive.
Defining Family: A Controversial Perspective
The charter’s definition of family is particularly contentious, focusing exclusively on heterosexual unions while disregarding the diverse family structures present in Africa’s 54 nations. Legal experts from the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) have warned that prioritising family over individual rights risks perpetuating the subjugation of women and children, potentially allowing