Women’s Environmental Human Rights in Africa with Reflections on Key Provisions of the Maputo Protocol

Abstract

This chapter provides an exposition of the international framework for the protection of women’s environmental rights in Africa. It focusses on the contribution of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the far-reaching provisions of the Maputo Protocol in the development of this framework. It considers the extent to which African States have implemented these provisions, and the continuing challenges in fully realizing women’s environmental rights. The main questions considered in this chapter include the specific interrelationship between women and the environment and also the negative consequences suffered by women as a result of environmental degradation in Africa. It further considers why the Maputo Protocol is such a crucial instrument for the protection of the environmental rights of women as well as the duties on State Parties. The chapter concludes with proposals to various stakeholders to address the challenges in fulfilment of these fundamental rights for African women.