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40 actions to celebrate ISHR’s 40th anniversary
We are celebrating longstanding and collective efforts in supporting human rights defenders. Join us and find out more!
The 69th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights will be held online, from 15 November to 5 December 2021. The African Commission session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held online on 10, 11 and 12 November 2021.
The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the Ordinary Sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), also known as the ‘NGO Forum’, is an advocacy platform coordinated by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) to promote advocacy, lobbying and networking among and between human rights NGOs, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa. The NGO Forum shares updates on the human rights situation in Africa by the African and international NGOs community with a view of identifying responses as well as adopting strategies towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the continent.
Same as the last session, this session will be hosted online and will be framed around the theme “40th anniversary of the adoption of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.
The general content of the Forum will cover these main thematic areas namely:
Register for the NGO Forum here.
Panels and Launches (Item 4 cont’d)
State periodic Reports (Item 8)
During this session, pursuant to Article 62 of the African Charter and State Parties obligation to report every two years on the legislative or other measures taken with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed by the Charter, three countries will be reviewed:
Activity reports (Item 5)
During every session, special mechanisms from the African Commission present their activity report. These reports catalogue the activities and initiatives undertaken by each mechanism inter-sessionally:
For the full programme, click here.
During this session, ISHR will make several statements under Items 3 and 7:
The situation of human rights in Africa
Under Item 3, civil society organisations with observer status have the possibility to make a statement highlighting specific issues relating to the human rights enshrined in the African Charter. It can be used to call the attention of the Commission on a specific issue or even update the Commission on an issue previously brought to its attention.
Country reviews
Under article 62 of the African Charter, States are obliged to submit a report every two years on the legislative or other measures taken with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognised and guaranteed by the present Charter. During this process, civil society organisations also have the possibility to submit shadow reports ahead of the session during which countries will be reviewed in order to inform the Commission’s recommendations and provides share advices to a specific State.
Country and Special Rapporteurs mandates
15 November 2021 – 25 November 2021 – Public Session
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q3KvMs6YTwe_bLPtefEz1A
05 December 2021 – Closing Ceremony (Public Session)
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q3KvMs6YTwe_bLPtefEz1A
The Ordinary Session will be live streamed on:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgwJmiMTr59J0jYZJJtfzuw
ISHR will monitor and report on key developments at the 69th ordinary session of the African Commission. Follow us on Twitter at @ISHRglobal, @ISHR_fr and at #ACHPR69. Our staff can also be followed @Adelaide_ISHR, @StephanieWamba,
We are celebrating longstanding and collective efforts in supporting human rights defenders. Join us and find out more!
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