By Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

African foreign ministers have begun their session in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Wednesday to prepare draft resolutions for the 26th African Union Summit of heads of state and government, which will take place Saturday and Sunday.

The ministerial meeting will deal with human rights, the particular focus being on the rights of women.

The meeting comes 35 years after the adoption of the African Human Rights Charter.

According to a document made available at the meeting, African leaders, who have not yet included provisions of the Charter in their legislature, will be pressured to do so.

“Some nations will be asked to recommit themselves to fully respect human rights enshrined in the Charter,” he said.

AU Chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in her opening remarks, insisted on the role of women.

“Without the participation of the youth and women, Africa’s growth will be less inclusive, less secure and much less transformative,” she said.

“So far, only Ethiopia and Sudan managed to increase the participation of women in parliament to 30 percent. We should do better in 2016,” she added.

The ministers will choose the 15 members of the Peace and Security Council, a powerful organ of the Union, which has a mandate to intervene in internal conflicts and deploy peace-keeping forces.