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On 30 October, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) concluded its 85th Ordinary Session, which saw the state periodic reviews of Egypt, Tunisia, and Botswana; presentation of the report of the fact-finding mission on Sudan; panels on the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on the externalization of migration management, on the right to the environment.

In line with its mandate to advocate for the protection of human rights defenders before international and regional mechanisms, ISHR presented the situation of protection of HRDs on the continent.

While the actions of the decade are orientated on the reparation of African and African Descents, the African Commission held a panel to assess the implementation of the recommendations with a human-right based focus.

Since 15 April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in civil war. In view of the calls for a ceasefire that have gone unheeded and the alarming violations of rights, the African Commission conducted a virtual joint fact-finding mission on the human rights situation in Sudan to document and assess the situation.

The resurgence of insecurity and rise of violent extremism, particularly in Africa's Sahel region, is prompting States to adopt counter-terrorism measures. However, in many cases, these measures are also used to criminalise or restrict the work of HRDs and violate the rights of civilians.

As part of its 85th Ordinary Session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) hosted a panel on the right to the environment in Africa on 23 October 2025, convened by the Working Group on Extractive Industries, the Environment, and Human Rights.

From 17 to 19 October 2025, the ACDHRS held, in Banjul (The Gambia), the NGO Forum ahead of the 85th ordinary session of the African Commission. Participants from all regions of Africa and from the diaspora gathered to assess the situation of human rights on the continent and propose mitigation solutions for the protection of human rights.

At the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, experts and officials warned that migration externalisation practices risk undermining fundamental rights and called for stronger oversight, transparency, and compliance with international law.

The NGO Forum, ahead of the 85th ACHPR’s session in Banjul, held several panel discussions on the AU 2025 theme 'Reparations: Justice for Africans and People of African Descent' with different focuses, including the regional and UN standards on reparations, economic justice, as well as discrimination in Africa based on work and descent.

Addressing a meeting convened by the UN Human Rights Council President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the UN funding crisis, ISHR Director Phil Lynch outlined a plan of action for States to save the UN human rights system and protect the communities it serves.

At the 11th Session of the Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations, ISHR urged all States to include and protect language that explicitly safeguards human rights defenders, impacted communities and the environment.

From 15 to 22 October, 16 defenders from across Africa took part in ISHR's capacity-strengthening programme on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) for the body’s 85th session.