On 6 November, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) concluded its 81st session. Highlights included the periodic review of Angola and Burkina Faso, and the launch of Declaration+25 and a tracker for civic space in Africa.
Following the presentation of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders’ Intersessional Report, ISHR delivered a statement calling on his mandate to release his long-awaited report on reprisals and remind States of their obligations to ensure a safe environment for defenders to conduct their activities.
We call on all African States, including Burkina Faso, Mauritius, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to do more to ensure defenders are safe and supported in their vital work.
Women human rights defenders (WHRD) working on environment and climate justice from around the world gathered in Geneva to participate in the Women Human Rights Advocacy Week (WHRD-AW) between 16 and 21 September. Discover their experience below!
The 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission, or ACHPR) will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 17 October 2024 to 6 November 2024. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will also be held in Banjul from 13 to 15 October 2024.
Candidate States to the Human Rights Council presented their pledges and responded to questions by civil society on their human rights records, while elaborating on their vision to improve the work of the Council at ISHR’s and Amnesty International’s annual event.
The 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council (9 September - 11 October) will consider issues including intimidation and reprisals for cooperating with the UN, arbitrary detention, systemic racism, enforced disappearances, climate change, water and sanitation, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and people of African descent, among others.
During the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, the outcome of the 4th cycle UPR of the Republic of Congo was adopted. A joint statement by Christian Mounzeo on behalf of ISHR and the Rencontre pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme (RPDH) called on the government to adopt a national law to protect and promote the rights of defenders.
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2025-2027 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights concluded its 79th Ordinary Session held in a hybrid format from 14 May to 3 June 2024. The Commission reviewed the human rights situation in Africa, examined eight communications and one State periodic report, granted observer status to 10 NGOs and held nine panels, among others.
