Chief Charumbira Joins African Royals at Continental GBV Prevention Conference in Lagos
The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Hon. Senator Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira of Zimbabwe, has joined African royals and cultural leaders from across the continent at the high-level Conference of African Traditional and Cultural Leaders on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention in Lagos.
The conference, running from February 1 to 4, 2026, was convened by the Ford Foundation and UN Women in partnership with the Government of Nigeria, bringing together influential actors from across the GBV prevention ecosystem. These are traditional authorities, policymakers, civil society actors, and development partners to advance collective action against GBV.
H.E. Chief Charumbira represented the African Union legislative arm Pan-African Parliament’s commitment to promoting social justice, human dignity, and gender equality across Africa. As a respected traditional leader and continental legislator, the PAP President added strong political and moral weight to the gathering. HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Emir of Kano, delivered a powerful reminder in his opening remarks at #AfricanTraditionalLeadersGBVConference2026: “We cannot give up on the safety of every girl child. It is our responsibility to push boundaries until it is achieved.”
The conference seeks to harness the influence of traditional and religious leaders in transforming harmful social norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls. Participants are engaging in high-level dialogues, regional strategy sessions, and community-focused case studies addressing issues such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, and discriminatory customary practices.
African royals and traditional leaders from West, East, Southern, and North Africa are participating in the summit, reflecting a growing continental consensus that cultural leadership must play a central role in safeguarding women’s rights.
The gathering is expected to culminate in the adoption of a Regional Declaration and Communiqué, affirming traditional leaders’ collective commitment to norms change and GBV prevention. Delegates are also working towards a Sustainability Roadmap to integrate cultural leadership into national and regional policy frameworks.
The organizers have described the conference as a critical step towards building a regionally owned, long-term platform for GBV prevention, anchored in African values and institutions.
H.E. Chief Charumbira’s participation follows a formal invitation extended by the Ford Foundation and UN Women in October 2025, in recognition of his influential role as both a paramount traditional leader in Zimbabwe and President of the Pan-African Parliament, and his sustained leadership in advancing dialogue and legislative action on social justice and human rights.
The conference marks another milestone in strengthening collaboration between African traditional institutions, governments, and regional bodies in the fight against gender-based violence.
