Introduction
The ARJLA is a proactive regional alliance committed to advancing reproductive justice through strategic litigation, legal empowerment, and collaboration with like minded reproductive justice actors. Grounded in Africentric principles and decolonial theory, the coalition aims to tackle historical, systemic, and structural barriers to fully realizing sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
The alliance is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and ensuring that all stakeholders, in their diversities, are valued and integral to decision-making processes that impact SRHR. By strengthening existing national legal support networks and related efforts, ARJLA can enhance equitable access to sexual and reproductive health rights and justice services on a regional scale. Moreover, the alliance aims to redress historical injustices stemming from colonial legacies and advocate for progressive policies and jurisprudence on sexual reproductive health and rights at the regional level, utilizing existing regional structures and consensus among African states.
Pooling technical, human, and financial resources at the regional level is viewed as a transformative pathway to sustaining a robust, agile Alliance. By combining resources and expertise, the alliance aims to promote knowledge transfer, develop and apply innovative approaches, and foster a sense of shared responsibility and collective action.
The ARJLA also seeks to establish itself as a regional resource centre, offering evidence and documentation to inform policy changes, guide strategic litigation endeavours, and spark crucial conversations about the impact of policies and litigation on marginalized and neglected communities. With its diverse network of experts and enhanced profile, the alliance aims to be an ideal partner for potential funders, allowing for increased access to resources and a broader reach.
A dynamic and inclusive Alliance leading to a change in Reproductive Justice in Africa
Our mission is to unify, fortify, and perpetuate a regional alliance dedicated to promoting reproductive justice in Africa through strategic and impactful public interest litigation, legal empowerment, and the provision of legal aid services
Unify, Resource and Litigate
A strengthened, well-resourced and coordinated Alliance advancing reproductive justice litigation in Africa.
The Alliance has four (4) objectives and these are highlighted below;
- To establish and sustain an Alliance that coordinates and supports reproductive justice litigation in Africa.
- To strengthen and enhance the capacities of reproductive justice actors to undertake litigation at national, sub-regional and regional levels.
- To research, document and disseminate evidence that supports Reproductive Justice litigation in Africa.
- To strengthen the capacity of the Secretariat to coordinate
and facilitate the initiatives of the Alliance effectively
- A robust and well-coordinated Regional Reproductive Justice Litigation Alliance.
- Enhanced capacity of reproductive justice actors to effectively
undertake reproductive justice litigation at National, sub-regional
and regional levels. - Evidence generated to support reproductive justice litigation in Africa.
- A strengthened Secretariat that coordinates and facilitates initiatives of the Alliance to advance reproductive justice in Africa.
Membership_
The ARJLA comprises Civil Society, including Non Governmental Organizations, Networks, Coalitions and individuals advancing Reproductive Justice. The Networks comprise legal experts who defend and support vulnerable and marginalised groups.
The coalitions comprise lawyers, judicial officers, practitioners, activists, researchers, community representatives and policy experts advancing work towards reproductive justice. Membership in the Alliance will be open to all individuals, organisations, networks and coalitions who believe in the values, guiding principles and objectives of the Alliance. The Secretariat will provide a membership form to enable members to join the Alliance.
The Alliance is dedicated to promoting reproductive justice through a comprehensive approach that includes strategic and public interest litigation, legal empowerment, and legal aid. This multifaceted strategy will be implemented at various levels, including national, sub-regional (such as the East African Community – EAC, the Economic Community of West African States[1]ECOWAS, and the Southern African Development Community-SADC), and regional levels (such as the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Commission of Human and Peoples’ Rights).
Through this comprehensive approach, the Alliance plans to address the complex and interconnected challenges affecting reproductive justice. This will involve coordinated reproductive justice litigation, as well as the support and coordination of national, sub-regional, and regional legal networks to challenge adverse colonial legacies and push back against legal systems and frameworks that hinder access to SRHR.
