International child abduction in Africa

In Africa, a continent spanning 55 countries, only 11 States have ratified the 1980 Hague Convention: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Seychelles, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (which has yet to properly designate a Central Authority). With the exception of South Africa, there is almost no Convention literature or case law in Africa, and information on the practical application of the Convention is scant, if available at all. However, there is a rich jurisprudence from South Africa which has experienced an arguably high proportion of incoming and returning cases. Much more needs to be done to boost the active participation of the ten other African Convention countries, and to encourage the 44 countries not currently part of the Convention to become so.