A draft African Union charter anchored in "family values" rhetoric has drawn fierce condemnation from human rights organisations, with critics labelling the document regressive and a direct threat to marginalised communities across the continent. The proposal, currently in discussion stages, has mobilised advocacy groups who warn it could roll back decades of progress on gender equality and sexual rights.
What the charter proposes
The draft text frames the family as the "natural and fundamental group unit of society" and calls on member states to protect what it describes as traditional family structures. Rights monitors have identified provisions that could criminalise same-sex relationships, restrict women's reproductive freedoms, and limit the autonomy of civil society organisations. The document reportedly gained traction during recent African Union sessions, with several member states expressing tentative support.
Ghana's role in the proposal
Ghana has emerged as a key backer of the initiative. The country's government submitted position papers supporting the charter's emphasis on traditional family values during African Union working group meetings held earlier this year. Ghanaian officials have defended the proposal as a sovereignty issue, arguing that continental norms should reflect African cultural traditions rather than international frameworks they perceive as externally imposed.
Tensions with existing protocols
The draft directly conflicts with the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, known as the Maputo Protocol. That instrument, ratified by 44 African countries, guarantees reproductive rights and calls for the elimination of discrimination against women. Human rights lawyers warn the new charter could create legal contradictions that governments exploit to justify non-compliance with existing obligations.
Rights groups mount pressure
More than 120 African and international organisations signed a joint statement calling for the charter's withdrawal. The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, headquartered in Banjul, led the coordinated response. Signatories include regional bodies, women's rights coalitions, and LGBTQ+ advocacy networks operating across sub-Saharan Africa. The statement argues the charter's language provides legal cover for states pursuing discriminatory legislation.
The Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria contributed legal analysis suggesting several provisions violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights itself. Researchers identified at least seven clauses that conflict with established jurisprudence on privacy, non-discrimination, and freedom of association.
Broader continental implications
The proposal arrives amid a surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across East and West Africa. Uganda's 2023 law imposing harsh penalties for same-sex conduct has drawn international condemnation and legal challenges. Nigeria's Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act already carries sentences of up to 14 years for individuals found guilty of entering same-sex unions or public displays of affection. Rights groups fear the African charter could normalise such measures at a continental level.
Several African Union member states have expressed reservations without publicly breaking ranks. Diplomatic sources suggest the debate has created friction within the bloc, with states like Mauritius and South Africa privately signalling opposition while avoiding direct confrontation with backers of the proposal.
What happens next
The African Union's legal council is expected to review the draft during its next session, scheduled for Addis Ababa in the coming months. Rights organisations are calling on governments to block any vote on the charter and are preparing legal challenges should it advance. The joint statement from advocacy groups demands an independent impact assessment examining how the proposal would affect existing human rights protections.
Citizens and civil society organisations across the continent should monitor their governments' positions ahead of any formal AU vote. The outcome could reshape the legal landscape for women's rights, LGBTQ+ individuals, and civil society actors for years to come.
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The statement argues the charter's language provides legal cover for states pursuing discriminatory legislation.The Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria contributed legal analysis suggesting several provisions violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights itself. Diplomatic sources suggest the debate has created friction within the bloc, with states like Mauritius and South Africa privately signalling opposition while avoiding direct confrontation with backers of the proposal.What happens nextThe African Union's legal council is expected to review the draft during its next session, scheduled for Addis Ababa in the coming months.
