Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa: Protection of Women from Sexual Violence During Armed Conflict

In the face of evidence that links sexual violence against women to armed conflict in Africa, the author asks: can the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa change the situation? The author examines the treatment of sexual violence against women during armed conflict in international humanitarian law generally, and then analyzes the provisions in the Protocol that specifically address violence against women. The author argues that states are obligated to protect women from sexual violence during armed conflict under the Protocol, but that the Protocol does not give clear guidelines on how to meet these obligations. The author suggests that these guidelines may be clarified by the African Court's interpretation.