The African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights is Africa’s main human rights body, holding public sessions twice a year at which States’ compliance under the African Charter on Human & Peoples’ Rights is reviewed.
Preceding these sessions, human rights defenders gather at the NGO Forum to discuss human rights concerns and urge the Commission to take action. Such engagement is key to strengthening the African human rights system.
For over a decade ISHR has engaged actively with the Commission. Through lobbying, support to Special Rapporteurs, membership of Commission working groups and the NGO Forum Steering Committee, and by the publication of biannual reports and periodic monitors on the NGO Forum and Commission sessions, ISHR contributes to building this human rights system.
On 12 May, the Republic of Zambia presented its State report to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (‘the African Commission’). Commissioners raised various questions related to the rights of human rights defenders, including the right to freedom of expression, access to information and freedom of assembly and association.
On 10 May, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (‘the African Commission’) organised a panel discussion on the reform process of the judicial and quasi-judicial organs of the African Union. Commissioners of the African Commission, Solomon Ayele Dersso and Litha Musyimi-Ogana, and Ibrahim Kane stated their views on the proposed reform.
On 11 May, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held a panel on the African Union Theme of the Year for 2023, “Acceleration of AfCFTA Implementation”. The panel’s objective was to highlight the importance of human rights during this critical trade process.
In the Seychelles, defenders face restrictions and violations of their rights. However, too often they are not aware of the protection afforded to them especially through regional and international mechanisms. A recent civil society workshop provided a first step to change this.
Mauritius is one of the island States of Africa. The local civil society can find it challenging to connect to civil society on the continent, and to raise the restrictions they face to international and regional human rights mechanisms.
On 10 May 2023, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) held a panel aiming to discuss ways to realise States’ obligations regarding the production of ESCR data and its use in policy-making, as well as how the Commission could work with States in realising them.
The health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has led States to take measures to combat the spread of the virus. Despite the state of health emergency, some of these measures were considered inappropriate and have considerably limited the rights of defenders with a considerable impact on their work.
In order for the African human rights system to function to its fullest potential, human rights defenders must be able to share crucial information and perspectives regarding situations on the ground. However, many defenders still face unacceptable risks and are unable to cooperate safely with the African human rights system.
A landmark new manual for and about women human rights defenders has just been launched by the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition. Providing women human rights defenders with the tools to document their experience and that of colleagues, the manual aims at generating awareness about violations and abuses against defenders and supporting demands for human rights change.
This issue of Kumulika - our analytical publication on the African Commission - covers key developments at the 55th session and the NGO Forum which preceded it.
The Road map for civil society engagement: State reporting procedure of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights outlines a programme through which civil society organisations (CSOs) can maximise their impact while engaging with the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR).
