Impact Assessment of the Maputo Protocol on Mass Atrocity Prevention in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Policy Integration in Ghana and Cameroon

This study examines the Maputo Protocol’s implementation impact on gender-based violence prevention in relation to mass atrocity prevention through comparative analysis of Ghana and Cameroon. Using Mazmanian and Sabatier’s implementation framework, the research analyzes how political, institutional, and contextual factors influence the Protocol’s effectiveness in addressing the gender-based violence–mass atrocity nexus. Document analysis reveals neither country effectively operationalized the Protocol as a mass atrocity prevention tool. Ghana’s stable environment enabled systematic legal integration, while Cameroon’s conflicts and reservations created implementation obstacles. Overall, both countries lack systematic approaches to monitoring conflict-related gender-based violence as early warning indicators, revealing critical coordination gaps between gender-focused institutions and security agencies.