Organisers, Steering Committee and participants during the first day of the NGO Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia, 28 April 2025. Photo credits: ACDHRS

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Outcomes of the NGO Forum ahead of the 83rd session of the African Commission

From 28 to 30 April 2025, participants in the NGO Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia, discussed key human rights and democracy issues affecting the continent, as well as the work of defenders. Participants contributed to the adoption of resolutions and recommendations, with a focus on reparations and transitional justice.

From 28 to 30 April 2025, members of civil society organisations working closely with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission, or ACHPR) attended the NGO Forum held, in person, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Banjul, The Gambia. Discussions during the Forum revolved around the African Union (AU) theme of the Year: ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descendent Through Reparations’. While the Forum was structured into 11 panels on themes relevant to protecting human rights, participants also split into 13 Special Interest Groups to develop recommendations to submit to the African Commission. 

Introductory remarks  

In their welcome speeches, all panelists emphasized the need to adopt a survivor-centred approach when addressing the theme of reparations. Recognising the past, documenting violations, analysing the legacy of colonial laws are crucial steps to build a plan for implementations. Reparations is also a look at the present, as we need to combat the contemporary forms of modern slavery, systematically addressing inequalities, like lack of education.  

As mentioned by Gilbert Sebihogo, NANHRI Executive Director, ‘cultural measures are needed like supporting artistic communities, languages etc. Institutional reforms must include a transparent governance system, institutional accountability, governmental structure which is responsive of the need of victims’.  

The call for reparation is not merely addressing the past but rather addressing systematic exploitation, it’s a pact toward healing and demand for dignity.
Hannah Foster, Director of ACDHRS

Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu insisted on the multidimensional aspect of reparatory justice, particularly for vulnerable groups, but also the need for accountability from governments and non-State actors.  

On a more general note, he congratulated the ACDHRS for the organisation of the Forum, in the context of financial cuts and uncertainty.  

Today, we are not crying History but we reclaim justice.
Hon. Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu

Situations of human rights defenders in Africa 

In Central Africa, while the REDHAC welcomed the adoption of a new law to protect human rights defenders in the Central African Republic and relatively calm election process in Gabon, the situation for CSOs remain critical. Indeed, the activities of the said network were recently suspended by authorities in Cameroun, and the offices robbed. The agreement of several other organisations , such as Un Monde d’avenir haven’t been renewed for opaque reasons. The network calls on citizens to use the forthcoming elections process as an opportunity for collective mobilisation. 

In Eastern Africa, Ms. Marie Louise Baricako depicted a dire situation for human rights combined with complex humanitarian crisis in Somalia and in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, increase of enforced disappearances in Burundi, and recent crackdown on journalist observed in Uganda. She called on States to respect the African Charter on Human and Peoples’s Rights. 

In Noth Africa, ‘the judiciary has been used to prosecute activists rather than serving justice’ as stated by Mr. El Filali Hammadi. Governments are using laws to discredit activists and human rights defenders are facing arbitrary arrests, detentions. A particular call was made to advance women’s rights, noting inequal access to healthcare. Attention was paid to the deteriorating situation of migrants from sub-Saharan countries victims of racism, unlawful arrests and torture. 

Restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were on the highlights of the report for Western Africa, with strong concerns for the freedom of press in Togo, restrictive protests in Côte d’Ivoire (particularly with the arrests of professors and students) and Sierra Leone.  

In Southern Africa, LGBTIQ+ activists still faces many challenges, particularly in South Africa and Zimbabwe, with an increasing killings record. The network called on the immediate revision of several problematic laws that recently passed and restrict the work of CSOs, such as the cybersecurity bill in Zambia. 

Finally, Emílio José Manuel, focal point of the platform for lusophone countries, emphasised on challenges at the national level in guaranteeing and protecting human rights, especially in education, health and social services protection, as well as anti-NGO laws consequences in Angola and restrictions on civic space. 

Foundations and impacts of colonial laws on people who defends rights 

Several panels, including the Inaugural one based on The Historical Context, Legal Foundations, and Mental Health Impacts of Reparations focused of the importance of foundations of the discussions held at the NGO Forum to move forward. Henrietta Ekefre (Africa Reparations Program Lead, Africa Judges and Jurists Forum) recalled the causes of this year’s topic and the claims for justice and reparation for Africans and their descendants. Transatlantic slavery, colonialism and apartheid led to the exploitation of resources, the devaluation and even suppression of certain indigenous languages, and the establishment of a separation between peoples and races. She added that these events led to the alteration of African culture and religion, and the displacement of works of art and worship.  

Giving the example of the genocide in Namibia, the constant human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the slavery past of The Gambia, speakers emphasised the intergenerational trauma caused by these tragedies.  

Gretchen Rohr, Senior Strategic Advisor on Reparations spoke of the victims’ pending redress for the injustices they suffered. On the measures to be adopted to avoid the repetition of such acts, she indicated the need to write down the history so that it can be transmitted and the necessity to organise discussions to share experiences with the younger generation so that the intergenerational memory can be preserved. She also added the need for an express public apology to ease the pain of the victims. 

Human rights defenders’ communities at the forefront of reparations 

The NGO Forum highlighted the importance of taking into considerations groups and communities that have been particularly affected by harmful colonial laws, which still have consequences today on women, LGBTIQ+ people, indigenous people, climate activists and diaspora. In the special interest group on human rights defenders that ISHR participated in, participants also mentioned that decriminalisation of HRDs emprisoned or judged during colonial era must be implemented and that government shall not duplicate laws inspired by the former colonies or misusing the legal framework to shrinking civic space. 

The need for a global coordinated call for reparations and justice 

Countries must hold internal and external discussions on reconciliation and debates on reparatory justice. While some Commisions does exist, for instance in Tunisia or Angola, CSOs present during the forum noted a strong lack of implementation of decision or even attempts to discredit those institutions. Survivors need compensations, documentation and accountability, not only in terms of monetary nature but as a holistic process. Religious and traditional leaders shall play a crucial role in the path to reparations to ensure dialogue, reconciliation and healing process.  

A global call for collective actions to eradicate traditional and modern forms of slavery was made through the Resolution ACHPR/Res.619 (LXXXI) 2024 passed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on Communities Discriminated Against Based on Work and Descent. 

Dr. Feyi Ogunade, Regional Organized Crime Observatory Coordinator for West Africa, in ENACT, stressed also the importance of combating moder slavery taken on by Transnational Organisation Crimes (TOCs) and the importance for HRDs to document this phenomenon and bring it to ACHPR. SIHA has documented over 200 cases of disappearing and trafficking of women in the context of TOCs. 

The reparations agenda aims to address historical injustices while tackling contemporary issues like systemic racism, economic exclusion, and Africa’s marginalisation in global decision-making. It represents a call for unity among Africans and the African diaspora to advocate for justice, equity, and redress. The adopted a Resolution on Africa’s Reparations Agenda and the Human Rights of Africans in the Diaspora and People of African Descent Worldwide (ACHPR/Res.543 (LXXIII) 2022) provides a strong advocacy opportunity. 

To further the work already started by the African Commission, especially in regards to connecting the diasporic civil society and stakeholders in the implementation of the theme’s roadmap, it was important to use the opportunity of the Forum to strengthen the understanding of all stakeholders on the theme’s scope, its objectives, and the strategies that could be put in place to ensure its implementation. 

Resolutions 

Participants in the NGOs Forum adopted 10 country resolutions, 9 thematic resolutions and 1 thematic recommendation.  

Country 

  • Resolution on the situation of human rights in Egypt 
  • Resolution on the situation of human rights in Sudan 
  • Resolution on the situation of human rights and the restriction of civic space in Côte d’Ivoire 
  • Resolution on the situation of human rights in the Gambia 
  • Resolution on South Sudan 
  • Resolution on the human rights situation in Tunisia 
  • Resolution on enforced disappearances and the rule of law in the Republic of Guinea 
  • Resolution on the human rights and security situation and transitional justice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
  • Resolution on the restriction of civic space in Cameroon 
  • Resolution on the human rights situation in Algeria 
  • Resolution on Ethiopia  

 

Thematic: 

  • Resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in Africa 
  • Resolution on supporting citizen election observers and strengthening electoral integrity in Africa 
  • Resolution on Africa’s Reparations Agenda and The Human Rights of Africans In the Diaspora and People of African Descent Worldwide, proposed by the UN Anti-racism Coalition (UNARC). 
  • Resolution on the urgent need for legal reforms to address the enduring criminalisation of vulnerable populations through colonial-era laws in Africa 
  • Resolution on the fight against slavery in Africa

Recommendation:  

Recommendation on people with disabilities, especially women and children 

 

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