Abstract
This chapter provides a magisterial overview of the diversity, definition, range, problematics, frameworks, solutions, and limitations of sexual offences and their remedies on the African continent, taking into consideration vital components of politics, culture, and resources in framing the issues and the solutions to sexual offences in Africa. We discuss the possibilities of more far-reaching state responses to sexual offences by highlighting African women’s initiatives responses to sexual and gendered-based violence (SGBV), thus bridging gaps in scholarship, policies, and practices as well as offering solutions improving data collection, interventions’ cost-effectiveness, and legal outcomes for survivors.
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Notes
- 1.
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (2018). “Turning Promises into Action: Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Retrieved from http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/sdg-report
- 2.
Ibid., p. 48.
- 3.
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (2018). “Turning Promises into Action: Factsheet for Sub-Saharan Africa”, p. 5. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2018/sdg-report-factsheet-sub-saharan-africa-en.pdf?la=en&vs=3558
- 4.
The report refers uses the term “Gender-based Violence Against Women” (GBVW) which involves all acts perpetrated against women which cause or could cause them physical, sexual, psychological, and economic harm.
- 5.
- 6.
The notion of reparation is well accepted in international law. And victims’ rights to access and benefit from effective remedies and judicial redress for the violation of their rights are reaffirmed in international human rights and humanitarian law treaties and other legal instruments. Among those, the Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law lays out states’ obligation to ensure victims’ right to reparation and remedies, and in Chapter IX spells out the forms of reparation from harmed suffered, to be laid down by domestic law and / or administrative regulations; which are the following: restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition. UN General Assembly, Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law: resolution / adopted by the General Assembly, 21 March 2006, A/RES/60/147, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4721cb942.html
- 7.
Article 1 of the Constitution of the World Health Organization. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1948.
- 8.
Tappis, H., Freeman, J., Glass, N., & Doocy, S. (2016). Effectiveness of Interventions, Programs and Strategies for Gender-based Violence Prevention in Refugee Populations: An Integrative Review. PLoS currents, 8, ecurrents.dis.3a465b66f9327676d61eb8120eaa5499. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.3a465b66f9327676d61eb8120eaa5499
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Artz, L., D’Cruz, S.D. (2021). Sexual Offences in Africa. In: Yacob-Haliso, O., Falola, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of African Women's Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28099-4_96
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