In Senegal, the 2005 Law in Relation to Reproductive Health, recognizes reproductive health as a “fundamental and universal right guaranteed to all individuals without discrimination based on age, sex, wealth, religion, race, ethnicity, matrimonial situation or any other situation.” Thus there is access to contraceptives and other basic services, such as pregnancy and STI testing. However, one has to be 15 or older to access such services. Abortion is only available in cases where the life of the mother is in danger. This is the case in most other countries as well, except in South Africa. Property: In 2011 Malawi passed the Deceased Estates (Wills, Inheritance and protection) Act. This Act repealed the Wills and Inheritance Act which posed a number of challenges especially for women after the death of their husbands. The Act is therefore deemed a milestone in addressing the predicament of women and children in as far as the administration of deceased estates is concerned. Decision making and public participation: Public positions have for a long-time been male dominated and in some cases women were totally excluded. However with the progressive developments such as the adoption of the Maputo Protocol, countries have begun to change the status quo and afford women opportunities which tradition denied them. The South African Constitutional Court in Bhe v Magistrate, Khayelitsha declared unconstitutional and invalid the African customary rule of male primogeniture which only allows an oldest male descendant or relative to succeed the estate of a deceased man. 12 In Sierra Leone the Chieftaincy Act encourages women to contest for Paramount Chieftaincy. Before this law, chieftaincy was a male domain controlled by traditional norms and values. 13 The Senegalese Parity law passed in 2010 requires all political parties and coalitions to avail equal numbers of men and women on their candidate list. 14 Another example is the Constitution of Kenya which prohibits either gender from constituting more than two thirds of any elected body; this means women must make up at least one-third of all elective public bodies within Kenya’s political arena. The implementation of this Article should result in an increase in women’s representation within all levels of government and, consequently, allowing women to increase their influence in the decision making processes that affect equality throughout the country. For instance: (1) Article 81(b) states that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender; (2) Article 97 states that the Kenyan National Assembly shall consist of at least 47 women elected by registered voters of the counties; (3) Article 98 states that the Senate shall consist of 16 women members; (4) Article 100 states that Parliament shall enact legislation to promote the representation of women in Parliament; and (5) Article 177 requires that no more than two-thirds of the membership of the county assembly shall be of the same http://www.achpr.org/files/sessions/58th/state-reports/2nd-2002-2015/staterep2_southafrica_2003_2014_eng.pdf Leone Country Gender Profile October 2011 , African Development Bank Group report page 16 12 13Sierra 14S Faye Breakthrough for Women in Senegal’s Lower House available on http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/08/breakthrough-for-women-in-senegals-lower-house/ 8