Recommendations adopted at regional conference on justice-affected women in Africa

From 18-20 October 2023, 257 delegates representing 7 countries from across Africa convened for a regional conference: ‘Unlocking Barriers: Rights of Women in the Criminal Justice System in Africa’. The first of its kind, the conference considered recommendations in an open and collaborative forum, which identified the challenges, strategies and comparative jurisprudence on the progressive steps taken towards gender mainstreaming in the criminal justice sector in Africa.

There was consensus among conference delegates to take every step possible to implement, promote and disseminate these recommendations within their respective mandates, bearing in mind the need to achieve gender equality.

These recommendations are based on best practices from across the region and international standards on the rights of women in the criminal justice system and would considerably progress gender equality in the African region.