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Women, Water and Article 15 of the Maputo Protocol

Ahead of the International Day of Rural Women, RFLD publishes a policy brief on how Article 15 of the Maputo Protocol can turn the AU’s 2026 water theme into rights for women and girls.

RFLD Team 1 min read
Updated
Women, Water and Article 15 of the Maputo Protocol

Ahead of the International Day of Rural Women (15 October), RFLD publishes its research report “Women, Water and Article 15 of the Maputo Protocol”, in English and French.

In households without water on the premises, women and girls are mainly responsible for collecting it in 7 out of 10 cases (WHO/UNICEF JMP, 2023). The African Union has made water and sanitation its theme for 2026. Article 15(a) of the Maputo Protocol already obliges States to provide women with access to clean drinking water. What is missing is implementation, budgets and reporting.

Key recommendations

  • Report on Article 15 in every periodic report to the African Commission, with data broken down by sex, age, disability and location.
  • Make water points and sanitation safe for women and girls at any time of day.
  • Fund women-led water committees and give women at least half of the seats on them.
  • Involve women’s organisations in the new ACHPR Guidelines on the Right to Sanitation (Resolution 658 of 2026).
Download the report (PDF, English)
Download the French edition (PDF)
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Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement, a pan-African network for gender equality and development advancing women's rights, SRHR, civic space and climate justice across 35+ African countries since 2013.

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