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The 2025 Martin Ennals Award recognises three outstanding human rights defenders who have spearheaded justice initiatives in Brazil, Uganda and Tunisia against racism and corruption in public institutions. The UN High Commissioner for human rights will award the selected laureate during the ceremony to take place on 26 November 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
On 30 October, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) concluded its 85th Ordinary Session, which saw the state periodic reviews of Egypt, Tunisia, and Botswana; presentation of the report of the fact-finding mission on Sudan; panels on the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on the externalization of migration management, on the right to the environment.
In line with its mandate to advocate for the protection of human rights defenders before international and regional mechanisms, ISHR presented the situation of protection of HRDs on the continent.
While the actions of the decade are orientated on the reparation of African and African Descents, the African Commission held a panel to assess the implementation of the recommendations with a human-right based focus.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in civil war. In view of the unheeded calls for a ceasefire and the alarming violations of human rights, the African Commission conducted a virtual joint fact-finding mission on the situation in the country.
Insecurity and violent extremism, particularly in Africa's Sahel region, are prompting States to adopt counter-terrorism measures. However, in many cases, these measures are also used to restrict rights and criminalise the the work of defenders.
As part of the 85th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Working Group on Extractive Industries, the Environment, and Human Rights convened a panel on the right to the environment in Africa.
From 17 to 19 October, the NGO Forum tookl placed ahead of the 85th session of the African Commission. Participants from across Africa and the diaspora gathered to assess the situation of human rights on the continent and propose mitigation solutions.
At the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, experts and officials warned that migration externalisation practices risk undermining fundamental rights and called for stronger oversight, transparency, and compliance with international law.
The NGO Forum, ahead of the 85th ACHPR’s session in Banjul, held several panel discussions on the AU 2025 theme 'Reparations: Justice for Africans and People of African Descent' with different focuses, including the regional and UN standards on reparations, economic justice, as well as discrimination in Africa based on work and descent.
Addressing a meeting convened by the UN Human Rights Council President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the UN funding crisis, ISHR Director Phil Lynch outlined a plan of action for States to save the UN human rights system and protect the communities it serves.
At the 11th Session of the Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations, ISHR urged all States to include and protect language that explicitly safeguards human rights defenders, impacted communities and the environment.
