Eliminating harmful practices against women in Zimbabwe: Implementing article 5 of the African Women's Protocol. Traditionally, women's rights have always been of low priority in Africa. Women have been subordinated under the auspices of deep-rooted African customs and cultural practices, compromising their fundamental rights. Accordingly, member states of the African Union developed the African Women's Protocol, with article 5 to guide states towards the elimination of harmful practices against women.
This article assesses the implementation of article 5 of the Women's Protocol in Zimbabwe, in relation to legal, constitutional and policy reforms instituted after ratification of the Protocol in Although the assessment noted a positive domestic influence of the Protocol in Zimbabwe, the country still has a long way to go in the process of eliminating harmful practices. For the effective implementation of article 5, the article recommends the rapid alignment of marriage and customary laws to the Constitution and the African Women's Protocol.
The article also vouches for effective multi-sectoral approaches which include litigation and widespread awareness raising on the Constitution and other mechanisms against harmful practices. Key words : child marriages; harmful practices; implementation; African Women's Protocol, women's rights.
The Protocol was adopted on 11 July in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and entered into force on 25 November , after having achieved the required 15 ratifications. Zimbabwe ratified the Protocol on 15 April and thus committed itself to be bound by its provisions. Similarly to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights African Charter 1 and other human rights instruments 2 that preceded the Protocol, it was developed to promote and protect human rights.
Distinctively, the Protocol was designed to protect women in a more comprehensive manner than pre-existing instruments. The Protocol is hailed as the most inventive and exciting development in women rights protection since the formation of the African Union AU as it lays down essential human rights standards for African women. The civil and political rights of African women are also guaranteed by the Protocol. Fundamental to this study is the ability of the Protocol to articulate the state's duty to protect women and girls from harmful practices.
