Africa’s Peace Is Impossible While Women Live in Fear — Zanetor Sounds Continental Alarm

Africa’s quest for sustainable peace and economic transformation will remain out of reach unless governments confront the persistent violence faced by women and girls, according to Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who has called for decisive continental action to turn political promises into lasting protection.

Addressing a high-level gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament argued that gender-based violence has evolved beyond a social concern into a development emergency capable of undermining national stability, economic productivity and democratic progress across the continent.

She warned that every act of violence against women strips communities of talent, weakens families, reduces economic participation and erodes the foundations of lasting peace, making it impossible for Africa to fully realise the ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings urged African governments to urgently ratify, domesticate and enforce the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AUCEVAWG), describing the landmark treaty as a practical roadmap for dismantling the structures that continue to expose millions of women and girls to abuse and discrimination.

According to her, legislation alone will not end the crisis unless it is backed by strong institutions, effective law enforcement and political leadership committed to ensuring that survivors receive justice while perpetrators are held accountable.

She also challenged governments to rethink the way national economies measure women’s contributions, advocating improved census systems that capture unpaid domestic and care work often carried out by women. Recognising this hidden labour, she noted, would help shape fairer economic policies and gender-responsive national budgets.

The Pan-African Parliament leader further called for increased investments in education for girls, healthcare, economic empowerment initiatives, legal aid, psychosocial support services and programmes that expand women’s participation in governance, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

She cautioned that Africa’s growing digital transformation must be guided by ethical safeguards to ensure technology advances equality rather than reinforcing discrimination and violence against women.

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings reaffirmed the Pan-African Parliament’s commitment to working with member states to accelerate implementation of the convention adopted by the African Union in 2025, insisting that protecting women is not merely a human rights obligation but a strategic investment in Africa’s peace, security and long-term prosperity.

Her message was unequivocal: a continent that cannot guarantee the safety and dignity of its women cannot fully unlock its development potential. Ending violence against women, she concluded, is not just a moral imperative—it is one of Africa’s most urgent peace and economic priorities.