Story perspectives

African Charter Spurs Anti-Abortion, Seed Protections, Feminist Clash

8/7/2026

Summary

African Charter Restricts

The African Charter urges repeal of laws it calls “undermining the family,” including abortion rights and the “LGBT agenda.”
It defines marriage as a man and a woman and denies international right to abortion.
Article 8 mandates protection of indigenous seeds, bans uncontrolled GM seeds, de-criminalizes farmer-managed seed systems, and allocates 10 percent of spending to these goals.
A Pan-Africanist feminist author warns the charter forces a choice between Pan-Africanism and feminism.

Summary

Salami Pushes Homegrown

Salami argues African feminism must be defined by the continent rather than imported Western frameworks.
She describes “Homegrown Feminism” as a sui generis movement that emerged in the 1970s from African women’s lived struggles.
The book is divided into three sections—Africa, Feminism, and Being—to examine who controls African identity narratives.
Salami claims the conventional division centers colonialism and marginalizes indigenous voices.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing adopted the Beijing Declaration on 15 September 1995, committing governments to gender equality. Its 30th-anniversary Global Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for 13-14 October 2025 revives that agenda. Today the African Union’s debate over the African Charter echoes Beijing’s legacy, urging continental bodies to balance global standards with indigenous feminist perspectives.

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African Charter Restricts

The African Charter urges repeal of laws it calls “undermining the family,” including abortion rights and the “LGBT agenda.”
It defines marriage as a man and a woman and denies international right to abortion.
Article 8 mandates protection of indigenous seeds, bans uncontrolled GM seeds, de-criminalizes farmer-managed seed systems, and allocates 10 percent of spending to these goals.
A Pan-Africanist feminist author warns the charter forces a choice between Pan-Africanism and feminism.

1 / 3