Download the Guide (ENG) Background to the Guide The adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) on 11 July 2003 marked an important milestone in the promotion and protection of women’s rights in Africa. The Maputo Protocol was a fruit of many years of activism and advocacy by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), with women’s rights organizations at the forefront. With the adoption of the Protocol, CSOs around the continent formed the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) to coordinate their advocacy efforts aimed at ensuring