GUIDED by the New Partnership for Africa's Development Strategic Framework for Youth Programme of 2004 that is working towards youth empowerment and development;

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the inter-relatedness of the challenges facing youth and the need for cross-sectoral policies and programmes that attend to the needs of youth in a holistic manner;

1. Every young person shall have the right to social, economic, political and cultural development with due regard to their freedom and identity and in equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind.

1. Every State Parties shall develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy. a) The policy shall be cross-sectoral in nature considering the inter- relatedness of the challenges facing young people;

3. States Parties shall ensure that youth are not arbitrarily deprived of their property including inherited property.

The States Parties to this Protocol,

3. States Parties shall: b) Promote the development of youth media for the dissemination of information to young people;

Recognising the contributions of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities to the promotion, nurturing, strengthening and consolidation of democracy and governance;

Committed to promote the universal values and principles of democracy, good governance, human rights and the right to development;

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

The amendments or revisions shall enter into force when approved by two-thirds majority of State Parties.

The Assembly shall take appropriate measures aimed at addressing issues raised in the report.

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Promoting transparency in public finance management;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Promote self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods amongst internally displaced persons, provided that such measures shall not be used as a basis for neglecting the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, without prejudice to other means of assistance;

States Parties shall cooperate, where appropriate, with the African Union and international organizations or humanitarian agencies and civil society organizations, in providing protection and assistance in the course of finding and implementing solutions for sustainable return, local integration or relocation and long-term reconstruction.

1. States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: c) women are equal partners with men at all levels of development and implementation of State policies and development programmes .

For the purpose of the present Protocol: j) Violence against women means all acts perpetrated against women which cause or could cause them physical, sexual, psychological, and economic harm, including the threat to take such acts; or to undertake the imposition of arbitrary restrictions on or deprivation of fundamental freedoms in private or public life in peace time and during situations of armed conflicts or of war;

2. States Parties shall take appropriate and effective measures to: k) ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights in terms of access to refugee status, determination procedures and that women refugees are accorded the full protection and benefits guaranteed under international refugee law, including their own identity and other documents;

States Parties shall ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights and are regarded as equal partners in marriage. They shall enact appropriate national legislative measures to guarantee that: a woman and a man shall have equal rights, with respect to the nationality of their children except where this is contrary to a provision in national legislation or is contrary to national security interests;

2. States Parties recognise that the shift towards a knowledge-based economy is dependent on information and communication technology which in turn has contributed towards a dynamic youth culture and global consciousness. In this regard, they shall: c) Engage young people and youth organisations to understand the nexus between contemporary youth culture and traditional African culture, and enable them to express this fusion through drama, art, writing, music and other cultural and artistic forms;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: g) introduce a minimum age for work and prohibit the employment of children below that age, and prohibit, combat and punish all forms of exploitation of children, especially the girl-child;

RECOGNISING the inherent rights of internally displaced persons as provided for and protected in international human rights and humanitarian law and as set out in the 1998 United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which are recognized as an important international framework for the protection of internally displaced persons;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Respect and ensure respect for the humanitarian and civilian character of the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, including ensuring that such persons do not engage in subversive activities;

2. States Parties shall: Incorporate their obligations under this Convention into domestic law by enacting or amending relevant legislation on the protection of, and assistance to, internally displaced persons in conformity with their obligations under international law;

All persons have a right to be protected against arbitrary displacement. The prohibited categories of arbitrary displacement include but are not limited to: Forced evacuations in cases of natural or human made disasters or other causes if the evacuations are not required by the safety and health of those affected;

The objectives of this Convention are to: Provide for the respective obligations, responsibilities and roles of armed groups, non-state actors and other relevant actors, including civil society organizations, with respect to the prevention of internal displacement and protection of, and assistance to, internally displaced persons;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Ensure the accountability of non-State actors concerned, including multinational companies and private military or security companies, for acts of arbitrary displacement or complicity in such acts;

Electoral observer missions shall be conducted by appropriate and competent experts in the area of election monitoring, drawn from continental and national institutions such as, but not limited to, the Pan- African Parliament, national electoral bodies, national legislatures and eminent persons taking due cognizance of the principles of regional representation and gender equality.

States Parties shall assess or facilitate the assessment of the needs and vulnerabilities of internally displaced persons and of host communities, in cooperation with international organizations or agencies.

1. States Parties acknowledge the need to eliminate discrimination against girls and young women according to obligations stipulated in various international, regional and national human rights conventions and instruments designed to protect and promote women's rights. In this regard, they shall: a) Introduce legislative measures that eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and young women and ensure their human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Women shall have the right to fully enjoy their right to sustainable development. In this connection, the States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: e) take into account indicators of human development specifically relating to women in the elaboration of development policies and programmes; and

States Parties shall protect the rights of internally displaced persons regardless of the cause of displacement by refraining from, and preventing, the following acts, amongst others: Starvation.

States Parties shall establish an effective legal framework to provide just and fair compensation and other forms of reparations, where appropriate, to internally displaced persons for damage incurred as a result of displacement, in accordance with international standards.

2. States Parties shall: Endeavour to incorporate the relevant principles contained in this Convention into peace negotiations and agreements for the purpose of finding sustainable solutions to the problem of internal displacement.

The right of internally displaced persons to lodge a complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights or the African Court of Justice and Human Rights, or any other competent international body shall in no way be affected by this Convention.

The States Parties undertake to: a) ensure the protection of women with disabilities and take specific measures commensurate with their physical, economic and social needs to facilitate their access to employment, professional and vocational training as well as their participation in decision-making;

States Parties shall ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights and are regarded as equal partners in marriage. They shall enact appropriate national legislative measures to guarantee that: a woman and a man shall jointly contribute to safeguarding the interests of the family, protecting and educating their children;

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures with a view to achieving full realisation of this right to gainful employment and shall in particular: e) Implement appropriately-timed career guidance for youth as part of the schooling and post-schooling education system;

CONSIDERING that Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights enshrines the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic group, colour, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status;

3. States Parties shall: d) Provide access to information and education and training for young people to learn their rights and responsibilities, to be schooled in democratic processes, citizenship, decision-making, governance and leadership such that they develop the technical skills and confidence to participate in these processes;

For the purpose of the present Protocol: i) States Parties means the States Parties to this Protocol;

States Parties shall adopt and implement appropriate measures to ensure the protection of every woman’s right to respect for her dignity and protection of women from all forms of violence, particularly sexual and verbal violence.

BEARING IN MIND related Resolutions, Declarations, Recommendations, Decisions, Conventions and other Regional and Sub-Regional Instruments aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination and at promoting equality between women and men;

For the purpose of the present Protocol: c) Assembly means the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union;

2. States Parties shall take appropriate and effective measures to: b) adopt such other legislative, administrative, social and economic measures as may be necessary to ensure the prevention, punishment and eradication of all forms of violence against women;

2. Recognise the right of young people to be free from hunger and shall take individual or collective measures to: b) Train young people to take up agricultural, mineral, commercial and industrial production using contemporary systems and promote the benefits of modern information and communication technology to gain access to existing and new markets;

2. States Parties shall recognise the vested interest of young people in protecting the natural environment as the inheritors of the environment. In this regard, they shall: c) Support youth organisations in instituting programmes that encourage environmental preservation such as waste reduction, recycling and tree planting programmes;

States Parties shall ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights and are regarded as equal partners in marriage. They shall enact appropriate national legislative measures to guarantee that: the husband and wife shall, by mutual agreement, choose their matrimonial regime and place of residence;

2. States Parties recognise that the shift towards a knowledge-based economy is dependent on information and communication technology which in turn has contributed towards a dynamic youth culture and global consciousness. In this regard, they shall: b) Encourage the local production of and access to information and communication technology content;

1. States Parties acknowledge the need to eliminate discrimination against girls and young women according to obligations stipulated in various international, regional and national human rights conventions and instruments designed to protect and promote women's rights. In this regard, they shall: n) Secure the right for young women to maternity leave.

2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the increased participation of women: b) in the structures and processes for conflict prevention, management and resolution at local, national, regional, continental and international levels;

States Parties shall adopt and implement appropriate measures to prohibit any exploitation or degradation of women;

1. States Parties shall take the following steps to promote and protect the morals and traditional values recognised by the community: d) Work with educational institutions, youth organisations, the media and other partners to raise awareness of and teach and inform young people about African culture, values and indigenous knowledge;

1. States Parties acknowledge the need to eliminate discrimination against girls and young women according to obligations stipulated in various international, regional and national human rights conventions and instruments designed to protect and promote women's rights. In this regard, they shall: g) Provide educational systems that do not impede girls and young women, including married and/or pregnant young women, from attending;

States Parties shall, in accordance with the obligations incumbent upon them under the international humanitarian law, protect civilians including women, irrespective of the population to which they belong, in the event of armed conflict.

1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: d) provide access to counselling and rehabilitation services to women who suffer abuses and sexual harassment;

2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the increased participation of women: d) in all levels of the structures established for the management of camps and settlements for asylum seekers, refugees, returnees and displaced persons, in particular, women;

2. States Parties shall take specific positive action to: c) promote the enrolment and retention of girls in schools and other training institutions and the organisation of programmes for women who leave school prematurely.

1. States Parties shall ensure that the right to health of women, including sexual and reproductive health is respected and promoted. This includes: b) the right to decide whether to have children, the number of children and the spacing of children;

The objectives of this Charter are to: Promote the establishment of the necessary conditions to foster citizen participation, transparency, access to information, freedom of the press and accountability in the management of public affairs;

1. States Parties shall ensure that the right to health of women, including sexual and reproductive health is respected and promoted. This includes: c) the right to choose any method of contraception;

a) provide women with access to clean drinking water, sources of domestic fuel, land, and the means of producing nutritious food;

The States Parties undertake to: a) ensure the protection of poor women and women heads of families including women from marginalized population groups and provide the an environment suitable to their condition and their special physical, economic and social needs;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: b) promote the right to equal remuneration for jobs of equal value for women and men;

1. States Parties shall ensure that the right to health of women, including sexual and reproductive health is respected and promoted. This includes: d) the right to self protection and to be protected against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS;

1. Any State Party may submit proposals for the amendment or revision of this Protocol.

The objectives of this Charter are to: Nurture, support and consolidate good governance by promoting democratic culture and practice, building and strengthening governance institutions and inculcating political pluralism and tolerance;

The States Parties undertake to: a) provide protection to elderly women and take specific measures commensurate with their physical, economic and social needs as well as their access to employment and professional training;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Strengthening political pluralism and recognising the role, rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties, including opposition political parties, which should be given a status under national law.

State Parties undertake to implement programmes and carry out activities designed to promote democratic principles and practices as well as consolidate a culture of democracy and peace. To this end, State Parties shall: Strengthen political institutions to entrench a culture of democracy and peace.

State Parties re-affirm their commitment to regularly holding transparent, free and fair elections in accordance with the Union’s Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa. To this end, State Parties shall: Establish and strengthen national mechanisms that redress election- related disputes in a timely manner.

State Parties agree that the use of, inter alia, the following illegal means of accessing or maintaining power constitute an unconstitutional change of government and shall draw appropriate sanctions by the Union: Any refusal by an incumbent government to relinquish power to the winning party or candidate after free, fair and regular elections; or

The Assembly shall impose sanctions on any Member State that is proved to have instigated or supported unconstitutional change of government in another state in conformity with Article 23 of the Constitutive Act.

State Parties shall adopt and implement policies, strategies and programmes required to generate productive employment, mitigate the impact of diseases and alleviate poverty and eradicate extreme poverty and illiteracy.

State Parties shall submit every two years, from the date the Charter comes into force, a report to the Commission on the legislative or other relevant measures taken with a view to giving effect to the principles and commitments of the Charter;

For the purpose of the present Convention: d. Arbitrary displacement means arbitrary displacement as referred to in Article 4 (4) (a) to (h);

States Parties shall respect, protect and not attack or otherwise harm humanitarian personnel and resources or other materials deployed for the assistance or benefit of internally displaced persons.

Members of armed groups shall be prohibited from: a. Carrying out arbitrary displacement;

States Parties, as much as possible, shall prevent displacement caused by projects carried out by public or private actors;

Women and men as well as separated and unaccompanied children shall have equal rights to obtain such necessary identity documents and shall have the right to have such documentation issued in their own names.

Members of armed groups shall be prohibited from: e. Recruiting children or requiring or permitting them to take part in hostilities under any circumstances;

For the purpose of the present Convention: h. "Child" means every human being below the age of 18 years;

A State Party shall be liable to make reparation to internally displaced persons for damage when such a State Party refrains from protecting and assisting internally displaced persons in the event of natural disasters.

States Parties agree that except where expressly stated in this Convention, its provisions apply to all situations of internal displacement regardless of its causes.

CONSCIOUS of the gravity of the situation of internally displaced persons as a source of continuing instability and tension for African states;

A State Party may denounce this Convention by sending a written notification addressed to the Chairperson of the AU Commission, while indicating the reasons for such a denunciation.

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: d) Institute programmes to address health pandemics in Africa such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria;

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: m) Provide rehabilitation for young people abusing drugs such that they can be re-integrated into social and economic life;

2. States Parties shall in particular: a) Ensure that youth who are detained or imprisoned or in rehabilitation centres are not subjected to torture, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment;

2. States Parties shall in particular: f) Ensure that accused and convicted young people are entitled to a lawyer.

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: i) Institute comprehensive programmes including legislative steps to prevent unsafe abortions;

2. States Parties shall in particular: b) Ensure that accused minors shall be segregated from convicted persons and shall be subject to separate treatment appropriate to their status;

1. States Parties shall ensure the use of sustainable methods to improve the lives of young people such that measures instituted do not jeopardise opportunities for future generations.

2. Young people shall not be compelled to belong to an association.

1. Every young person shall have the right to own and to inherit property.

3. States Parties shall: a) Encourage the media to disseminate information that will be of economic, political, social and cultural benefit to youth;

2. States Parties shall take the following measures to promote active youth participation in society: They shall: c) Ensure equal access to young men and young women to participate in decision-making and in fulfilling civic duties;

3. The education of young people shall be directed to: a) The promotion and holistic development of the young person's cognitive and creative and emotional abilities to their full potential;

3. The education of young people shall be directed to: e) The development of respect for the environment and natural resources;

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

States Parties shall enact appropriate legislation to ensure that women and men enjoy the same rights in case of separation, divorce or annulment of marriage. In this regard, they shall ensure that: in case of separation, divorce or annulment of marriage, women and men shall have reciprocal rights and responsibilities towards their children. In any case, the interests of the children shall be given paramount importance;

5. Youth are determined to transform the continent in the fields of science and technology. Therefore they are committed to: b) Conducting research towards science and technology.

1. Every young person shall have the right to gainful employment.

States Parties shall recognise the right of young people to live anywhere in the world. In this regard, they shall: c) Facilitate youth organisations to liaise and collaborate with the African youth Diaspora;

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures with a view to achieving full realisation of this right and shall, in particular: a) Provide free and compulsory basic education and take steps to minimise the indirect costs of education;

2. States Parties shall commit themselves to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of women and men through public education, information, education and communication strategies, with a view to achieving the elimination of harmful cultural and traditional practices and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes, or on stereotyped roles for women and men.

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures with a view to achieving full realisation of this right and shall, in particular: k) Encourage youth participation in community work as part of education to build a sense of civic duty;

6. State Parties should encourage youth to conduct research. In this regard, an African discoveries day should be established along with mechanism of awarding prizes at the continental level.

1. States Parties shall take the following steps to promote and protect the morals and traditional values recognised by the community: a) Eliminate all traditional practices that undermine the physical integrity and dignity of women;

States Parties shall recognise the right of young people to live anywhere in the world. In this regard, they shall: e) Promote and protect the rights of young people living in the diaspora;

GUIDED by the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the States Parties to the present "African Youth Charter",

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “AU” means the African Union;

Reaffirming our collective will to work relentlessly to deepen and consolidate the rule of law, peace, security and development in our countries;

Desirous to enhance the relevant Declarations and Decisions of the OAU/AU (including the 1990 Declaration on the political and socio-economic situation in Africa and the fundamental changes taking place in the world, the 1995 Cairo Agenda for the Re-launch of Africa’s Economic and Social Development, the 1999 Algiers Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the 2000 Lomé Declaration for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the 2002 OAU/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the 2003 Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union);

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “Member States” means the Member States of the African Union;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Holding of regular, transparent, free and fair elections;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Condemnation and total rejection of unconstitutional changes of government;

State Parties undertake to design and implement social and economic policies and programmes that promote sustainable development and human security.

State Parties shall establish public institutions that promote and support democracy and constitutional order.

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Respect for human rights and democratic principles;

However, the suspended State Party shall continue to fulfil its obligations to the Union, in particular with regard to those relating to respect of human rights.

All electoral observer missions shall present the report of their activities to the Chairperson of the Commission within a reasonable time.

Electoral observer missions shall be conducted in an objective, impartial and transparent manner.

Notwithstanding the suspension of the State Party, the Union shall maintain diplomatic contacts and take any initiatives to restore democracy in that State Party.

Each State Party shall inform the Commission of scheduled elections and invite it to send an electoral observer mission.

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Providing a conducive environment for foreign capital inflows;

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “NEPAD” means the New Partnership for Africa’s Development;

This Charter shall be open for signature, ratification and accession by Member States of the Union in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.

RECALLING the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the 1949 Four Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the 2003 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the 1990 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the 1994 Addis Ababa Document on Refugees and Forced Population Displacement in Africa, and other relevant United Nations and African Union human rights instruments, and relevant Security Council Resolutions;

1. States Parties shall combat all forms of discrimination against women through appropriate legislative, institutional and other measures. In this regard they shall: c) integrate a gender perspective in their policy decisions, legislation, development plans, programmes and activities and in all other spheres of life;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: m) take effective legislative and administrative measures to prevent the exploitation and abuse of women in advertising and pornography.

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: l) recognise that both parents bear the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of children and that this is a social function for which the State and the private sector have secondary responsibility;

Women shall have the right to fully enjoy their right to sustainable development. In this connection, the States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: f) ensure that the negative effects of globalisation and any adverse effects of the implementation of trade and economic policies and programmes are reduced to the minimum for women.

When a situation arises in a State Party that may affect its democratic political institutional arrangements or the legitimate exercise of power, the Peace and Security Council shall exercise its responsibilities in order to maintain the constitutional order in accordance with relevant provisions of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, hereinafter referred to as the Protocol.

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: k) recognise and enforce the right of salaried women to the same allowances and entitlements as those granted to salaried men for their spouses and children;

Women shall have the right to fully enjoy their right to sustainable development. In this connection, the States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: d) promote women’s access to credit, training, skills development and extension services at rural and urban levels in order to provide women with a higher quality of life and reduce the level of poverty among women;

All persons have a right to be protected against arbitrary displacement. The prohibited categories of arbitrary displacement include but are not limited to: Displacement caused by generalized violence or violations of human rights;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Prevent political, social, cultural and economic exclusion and marginalisation, that are likely to cause displacement of populations or persons by virtue of their social identity, religion or political opinion;

States Parties shall: e. Respect and ensure the right to seek safety in another part of the State and to be protected against forcible return to or resettlement in any place where their life, safety, liberty and/or health would be at risk;

States Parties shall: l. Take necessary measures to ensure that internally displaced persons who are citizens in their country of nationality can enjoy their civic and political rights, particularly public participation, the right to vote and to be elected to public office; and

States Parties shall create and maintain an up-dated register of all internally displaced persons within their jurisdiction or effective control. In doing so, States Parties may collaborate with international organizations or humanitarian agencies or civil society organizations.

Until such time as and when the latter shall have been established, the dispute or differences shall be submitted to the Conference of the States Parties, which will decide by consensus or, failing which, by a two-third (2/3) majority of the States Parties present and voting.

MINDFUL that Member States of the African Union have adopted democratic practices and adhere to the principles of non-discrimination, equality and equal protection of the law under the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as under other regional and international human rights law instruments;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Respect and ensure respect and protection of the human rights of internally displaced persons, including humane treatment, non- discrimination, equality and equal protection of law;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Ensure assistance to internally displaced persons by meeting their basic needs as well as allowing and facilitating rapid and unimpeded access by humanitarian organizations and personnel;

States Parties shall: c. Provide special protection for and assistance to internally displaced persons with special needs, including separated and unaccompanied children, female heads of households, expectant mothers, mothers with young children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities or with communicable diseases;

None of the provisions of the present Protocol shall affect more favourable provisions for the realisation of the rights of women contained in the national legislation of States Parties or in any other regional, continental or international conventions, treaties or agreements applicable in these States Parties.

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law regarding the protection of internally displaced persons,;