ADVANCING GENDER JUSTICE IN AFRICA: LEGAL FRAMEWORKS, MOVEMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE
This article examines the institutional and practical dimensions of advancing gender justice in Africa, focusing on gender justice movements, legal frameworks, persistent challenges, and emerging opportunities. Through content analysis and philosophical hermeneutics, it analyses the role of key instruments such as the Africa Gender Justice Charter, the Maputo Protocol, and the Pan-African Parliament’s Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity. The discussion highlights the contributions of traditional leaders, faith communities, and collective action, while addressing implementation gaps, rising anti-gender pushback, and intersectional barriers. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening enforcement, gender-responsive transitional justice, and decolonial community-led approaches to achieve sustainable gender equity across the Continent.
Keywords: Gender justice, legal frameworks, Maputo Protocol, Africa Gender Justice Charter, grassroots movements, transitional justice, implementation challenges, decolonial feminism