Photo: ISHR
While acknowledging the tremendous contributions National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and civil society organisations continue to make to its promotional and protection activities, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Commission) reminded these actors of their obligations to submit reports of their activities every two years.
On 22 October 2024, on the margins of its 81st Ordinary Session, the African Commission presented two papers. They pertain, on the one hand, to its relationship and collaboration with NHRIs having affiliate status with it, and with non-governmental organisations that enjoy the observer status, on the other hand. Two resolutions of the African Commission on the granting of affiliate status to NHRIs and observer status to NGOs respectively recognise their important role in the promotion and protection of human rights and in creating public awareness in Africa. These resolutions enable the relationship and collaboration between NHRIs and NGOs with the African Commission. They impose obligations on NHRIs and NGOs while granting them several rights.
The African Commission’s efforts
The African Commission indicated it has made significant efforts to review requests for affiliate or observer status from NHRIs and NGOs respectively.
‘By its last session, the Commission had granted observer status to 571 NGOs. At its 79th Ordinary Session, the Commission granted the observer status to 10 non-governmental organisations giving them ample opportunity to engage the Commission in various matters’, said Commissioner Salma Sassi who presented the paper on the relationship and collaboration with NGOs.
At the same session, the Commission granted affiliate status to two NHRIs bringing their total number to 38, among which four specialised institutions.
Delays in reporting
NHRIs with affiliate status have the responsibility to assist the African Commission in promoting and protecting human rights at the national level and to present their activity reports every two years, while NGOs with observer status have the responsibility to engage the African Commission on matters of common interest and present every two years the report of their activities. However, not all the NGOs and NHRIs are up to date with their reporting obligations. To date, 415 NGOs have submitted one or more reports to the Commission while many NHRIs owe their activity reports: only one institution submitted its activity report before the beginning of the 81st Ordinary Session. Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, who read the paper on NHRIs, also provided a list of those who have not presented their activity reports as this can help them to remember they owe several reports.
Download as PDF
Calling on all African states, including Burkina Faso, Mauritius, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to do more to ensure that human rights defenders are safe, protected, and supported in their vital work.
Taking stock of the situation of state reporting to the African Commission on Human Rights and Peoples' Rights, in particular the challenges that remain to ensure regular and reliable human rights reporting.
Panellists in an African Commission’s panel reiterated the clarion call for a progressive interpretation of the principle of confidentiality under Article 59(1) of the African Charter to ensure broader participation of individuals and non-governmental organisations to proceedings before the African Commission, and speed up the implementation of the Commission's decisions.
