The African Charter has defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. South Africa abstained from the vote.
South Africa abstained from a vote on the African Charter.
The African Charter formally defined marriage.
This definition specified marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The South African parliamentary delegation to the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values has abstained from the adoption of the African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values, officially rejecting the document's definition of marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman.
The conference was hosted by the Parliament of Ghana from June 3 to June 6, 2026, at the Accra Ridge Church in Accra, bringing together lawmakers, policy experts, academics, civil society leaders and development partners from across Africa and beyond. (The Mirror)
The draft charter defines the family as one formed from the marriage of a man and a woman as the natural and fundamental unit of society, and urges governments to protect the family in law and policy and preserve Africa's traditional values. (Common Dreams)
South Africa's abstention was widely expected. The country has recognised same-sex marriage since 2006 and its post-apartheid constitution — the first in the world to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation — makes any endorsement of a restrictive marriage definition constitutionally untenable for its delegation.
Critics of the charter have warned that behind its "African family values" framing is a sweeping attempt to roll back rights related to gender, sexuality, reproductive health, and freedom of expression across Africa — with serious implications for LGBTQIA+ people, women, young people and civil society organisations if adopted by the African Union and ratified by member states. (NPR)
The conference traces its origins to efforts led by Sharon Slater and the US-based Family Watch International, which convened lawmakers around a "family values" agenda in Utah, USA in 2022, before the conference relocated to Uganda from 2023 to 2025, and this year moved to Ghana. (PRIMA NEWS)
The charter will now be forwarded to the African Union for broader continental consideration. South Africa's abstention marks one of the most significant acts of dissent recorded at the conference since its inception.