sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP
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1.17 Conclusions<br />
[62] <strong>The</strong> African Charter on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights <strong>and</strong> African-Charter basedtreaty<br />
jurisprudence has implications for <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong>.<br />
[63] Though <strong>the</strong> provisions of <strong>the</strong> African Charter are applicable to <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
much <strong>the</strong> same way as counterpart United Nations <strong>and</strong> <strong>region</strong>al treaties, save for<br />
<strong>the</strong> decision of <strong>the</strong> African Commission on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights <strong>in</strong><br />
Doebler v Sudan, 175 <strong>the</strong>re are no decided cases directly impact<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong><br />
that emanate from <strong>the</strong> African Charter-based treaty bodies.<br />
[64] <strong>The</strong> Protocol to <strong>the</strong> African Charter on <strong>the</strong> Rights of Women <strong>in</strong> Africa has several<br />
provisions that directly apply to <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong>. <strong>The</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> Women’s<br />
Protocol on equality <strong>and</strong> non-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation is cross-cutt<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>The</strong> provisions that<br />
address marriage, violence <strong>in</strong> armed conflict, <strong>sexual</strong> harassment, <strong>health</strong>,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g reproductive <strong>and</strong> <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong> are particularly applicable to <strong>sexual</strong><br />
<strong>health</strong>.<br />
[65] Sub-<strong>region</strong>al organizations, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g sub-<strong>region</strong>al economic entities, have a role<br />
to play <strong>in</strong> protect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong>. <strong>The</strong> decision of <strong>the</strong> Court of<br />
Justice of <strong>the</strong> West African Community <strong>in</strong> Hadijatou Mani Koraou v <strong>The</strong> Republic of<br />
Niger 176 is a significant development for <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong> jurisprudence. <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
shows both <strong>the</strong> strengths as well as weakness of a sub-<strong>region</strong>al court <strong>in</strong> deal<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with <strong>sexual</strong> slavery.<br />
[66] <strong>The</strong> decision of <strong>the</strong> Tribunal of <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn African Development Community<br />
<strong>in</strong> Mike Campbell (Pvt) Ltd & O<strong>the</strong>rs v <strong>The</strong> Republic of Zimbabwe 177 , though not<br />
directly relevant to <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong>, is, none<strong>the</strong>less, significant for demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
both <strong>the</strong> capacity as well as judicial will<strong>in</strong>gness of sub-<strong>region</strong>al tribunal to<br />
protect <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong> under a sub-<strong>region</strong>al treaty that is primary designed to<br />
secure sub-<strong>region</strong>al economic <strong>and</strong> political <strong>in</strong>tegration.<br />
[67] <strong>The</strong> mapp<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>sexual</strong> <strong>health</strong> jurisprudence <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> African <strong>region</strong> must take <strong>in</strong>to<br />
account <strong>the</strong> plural nature of African legal systems as systems <strong>in</strong> which customary<br />
laws <strong>and</strong> religious law also constitute recognized law.<br />
[68] <strong>The</strong> general approach <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> African <strong>region</strong> <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong> application of<br />
domestic law is that customary laws <strong>and</strong> religious laws are subord<strong>in</strong>ate to<br />
constitutions as well as to statutes that are adopted by <strong>the</strong> legislature. However,<br />
an exception must be made for jurisdictions <strong>in</strong> which religious law <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> form of<br />
175 Doebbler v Sudan (2003) AHRLR 153 (ACHPR 2003). Decision of <strong>the</strong> African Commission on Peoples’<br />
<strong>and</strong> Human Rights.<br />
176 Hadijatou Mani Koraou v Republic of Niger ECW/CCJ/JUD/06/08, October 28, 2008 (ECOWAS<br />
Community Court of Justice).<br />
177 Mike Campbell (Pvt) Ltd & O<strong>the</strong>rs v <strong>The</strong> Republic of Zimbabwe (2008) SADCT 1, Case No 2/2007.<br />
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