ACHPR79: Collaboration of NGOs, national human rights institutions key to the African Commission's work

The Commission granted observer status to nine NGOs and affiliate status to two NHRIs. A comprehensive report on the engagement of NGOs and NHRIs with the Commission was presented at the session, which included the status of their reporting obligations. 

The nine NGOs come from different regions of the continent and covered on a range of human rights issues. They satisfy the criteria for having observer status, such as:

1. having an office in the State Party;
2. disclosing sources of funding;
3. sharing annual reports, strategic plans and independently audited financial statements
   

The newly accredited NGOs are:

• Afrogiveness (Cameroon), which focuses on art, peace and forgiveness for survivors of conflict
• Association IBSAR (Tunisia), a centre supporting visually impaired students by training them on new technologies
• Coalition Tunisienne contre la peine de mort (Tunisia), which acts regionally and globally against the death penalty
• Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (Cameroon), which documents human rights violations in Cameroon 
• Ethiopian Human Rights Lawyers (Ethiopia), an association of legal practitioners that promote human rights using the principles of rule of law
• Hope Inspired Foundation for Women and Youth with disabilities (Nigeria)
• Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (Rwanda)
• Amigos de Angola (Angola)
• Women’s Legal Aid Centre (Tanzania)

The two NHRIs that were granted affiliate status are:

• the National Mechanism of Prevention of Torture of Mauritania and 
• the National Gender and Equality Commission (Kenya). 

They were granted affiliate status based on the satisfaction of the criteria and their relevance in upholding human rights on the continent. 

There are now 571 NGOs with observer status and 38 NHRIs with affiliate status. 

During this panel, the African Commission also shared information on the status of reporting by NHRIs and NGOs. According to resolution ACHPR/Res. 572 (LXXVII) 2023, once granted observer and affiliate status, NGOs and NHRIs must submit an activity report every two years. It was noted with concern that 28 NHRIs are yet to submit their latest reports.