Resources
CEVAWG Love Letter
Friends,
We extend our warmest greetings to you.
As the year draws to a close, we come together to support the #PauseforPurpose campaign. December 10th is International Human Rights Day, which also marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women. We, however, understand that this violence does not take a break. The reality is that it often intensifies during this period.
It has been six months since the African Union published the Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. There are serious gaps in the convention, and we must address that. Those who advocate for ratification have a responsibility to engage with the critique. The head-in-the-sand approach will not make a defective convention legally sound. Forging ahead will cause us harm that we will not be able to reverse in our lifetime.
We hope that you can take this time to rest and recharge, so that when you return, you’ll be ready to engage in meaningful and informed advocacy to help end violence against women and girls. As you take a break, we present you with this love letter to help you strengthen your resolve when it seems like we are waging an impossible struggle. We need you to believe that there is a viable alternative to being recruited to a politics of despair, self-harm and regression masquerading as pragmatism.
Together, we can resist regression and organise ourselves for stronger legal protections. We can dispel misinformation that makes us hopeless. We want you to uncover the truth about what is inside the convention. You are not late; you have been gaslit into believing you were sleeping on the job. We want to take the time and care to develop a shared understanding of the convention. We want you to know it is not your fault; there is a reason you did not know about the convention. We can stand for clarity when confusion is offered as a solution to our problems. We can still stand for rights even when there is a concerted attack against the rights-based order. We can defend our gains even when our allies are ready to give up. We do not have the luxury to be complicit in abandoning our rights by asking member states to sign a document that fails to create legally binding obligations in several important respects.
More importantly, we want you to know that your voice matters. You can still be heard, and it will make a difference.
Part 1 – Legal Analysis: We provide an analysis of the treaty’s substantive provisions, highlighting the progress made, the gaps that remain, and the reforms necessary to enhance its legal standing. Our goal is to foster a shared understanding of this important convention.
Part 2 – Process Overview and Timeline: We offer an overview of the treaty development process and timeline. This will help inform the background and context that shape the substance of the convention.
Part 3 – Call to Action: We present a call to action for all stakeholders to #PauseforPurpose. We encourage each person who wishes to leverage the convention to achieve its goals to analyse and internalise the treaty, engage with the critique and advocate for a review by the African Union based on the legal insights. This will help to end with a convention that uses the law optimally and effectively to end violence against women and girls.
We wish you a peaceful and restorative break. Together, we can work for a future free from violence.
In Solidarity,
#PauseforPurpose People
Join the #PauseforPurpose Campaign
Learn more and join the campaign:
Sign the Statement: https://aucevawg.org/about-aucevawg/statement/
#PauseforPurpose | Be Part of the Campaign
Together, we can work for a future free from violence.
December 2025