A key highlight of the advocacy mission by the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Gender, Family, Youth, and People with Disabilities was the engagement with civil society organisations representing women, persons with disabilities, older persons, and youth.
This meeting served as a briefing on the objectives of the mission conducted by the Pan-African Parliament delegation in Côte d’Ivoire. It also addressed the Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons, the Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security, all of which are currently pending ratification by Côte d’Ivoire.
The session provided a valuable opportunity to gather expectations, concerns, and experiences related to the provisions of these Protocols. Additionally, civil society organisations were informed about the work of the Pan-African Parliament, the entry points for engagement, and the model laws developed by the Parliament to ensure that the needs of vulnerable populations are consistently considered in the decision-making processes at the African Union level. This includes a Model Law on Disability, which has been adopted, and a Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity, which is currently in the drafting stage.
