ACHPR
During its 87th session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) heard about the human rights situation on the continent, reviewed the periodic report of the Republic of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and of the Republic of Kenya, and held different panels to advance the protection of human rights on specific themes and countries.
Under the African Union (AU) theme of the year 2026: Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems in Africa, the 87th session of the ACHPR took place from 24 April to 4 May 2026 (Private session, online) and from 11 to 20 May 2026 (Public session, in-person), in Banjul, The Gambia.
As per usual, this public session was preceded by the NGO Forum. The participants to the public session included the commissioners and the secretariat of the ACHPR, representatives of States Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) and organs of the African Union, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI), international organisations, non-governmental organisations, and media. In total, the 87th public session of the African Commission saw the participation of 867 delegates, representatives of 32 States Parties, 20 representatives of African Union organs, 22 representatives of international and intergovernmental organisations, 51 representatives of NHRI, 345 representatives of African and international NGO, 38 representatives of press and media organizations, and 64 members representing the ACHPR.
The opening ceremony of the public session was enlivened by 15 speakers of which the representative of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, representatives of AU human rights bodies, and Hon. Idrissa Sow, the new Chairperson of the ACHPR.
Ahead of this session, on 14 February 2026, during the inter-session, three commissioners were re-elected: Hon. Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga, Hon. Marie Louise Abomo, and Hon. Dr. Litha Musyimi-Ogana. In accordance with practices, the re-elected commissioners were sworn-in during the opening ceremony for their new mandate.
On the situation of human rights in Africa, 24 State parties, 10 NHRI, 2 International organisations and 62 NGO delivered oral statements, including ISHR. In its statement, ISHR reported on the human rights violations in Angola, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Tanzania and Western Sahara. It also commended the adoption by the General Assembly (GA) of the United Nations (UN) which recognised the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and the racialised slavery that followed as the ‘gravest crime against humanity’.
On the Panels, the African Commission held a total of five panels including one on AU theme of the year, one on the ACHPR and UN Independent Fact-Finding Missions on Sudan and one on the outcomes of the study on extractive industries and human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
On the activity reports, the 11 Commissioners presented their inter-sessional activities reports. ISHR delivered a statement following the report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa during which ISHR raised its concerns on the protection of defenders and their working environment and Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information highlighting the challenges of the Saharaouie defenders in defending their rights.
On the review of State reports, the African Commission reviewed the periodic report of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic under the African Charter, the Maputo Protocol and the Kampala convention (covering the period 2013-2025), and of the Republic of Kenya under the African Charter, the Maputo Protocol (covering the period 2022-2025).
The African Commission also granted observer status to eight NGO.
During its private session, the African Commission also adopted five resolutions as below.
On side event, ISHR organised one on the “Protection of human rights in occupied territories: ending the silence on the protection of human rights defenders in Western Sahara” which was cancelled. On this, the Chairperson of the ACHPR publicly took note of the cancellation and affirmed that the African Commission will deal with the situation in accordance with the African Charter, the Rules of procedure and the headquarter agreement.
The 87th session was closed on 20th May 2026 with the information on the venue of the 89th session of the African Commission which will be held in Dakar (Senegal). Further information will be communicated in due course.
At a Human Rights Council debate with the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, ISHR delivered a joint statement with Sudanese Women’s Rights Action and the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa.
At the last session of its current membership, the NGO Committee’s rate of approval for organisations awaiting consultative status dropped to a record low of 5% amidst continued politicisation of NGO engagement at the UN.
ISHR drew attention to the deteriorating human rights situation across multiple African countries, with particular focus on the shrinking civic space and threats to human rights defenders.
