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African Commission Monitor

68TH SESSION'S SUMMARY

The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) held its 68th ordinary session virtually from 14 April to 4 May 2021, with 454 delegates in attendance, including representatives from State Parties and African Union Organs, as well as members of National Human Rights Institutions, intergovernmental organisations, NGOs, and the media.

Read the 68th session's final communiqué here.

NGO FORUM | OUTCOME OF THE NGO FORUM

The NGO Forum preceding the 68th ordinary session of the ACHPR was held online on 12 and 13 April 2021. The meetings were an opportunity for civil society organisations to highlight the link between arts, culture and heritage and the realisation of human rights and democracy.

ACHPR68 | PROTECT DEFENDERS AGAINST REPRISALS IN AFRICA

Following the presentation of the intersession activity report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and focal point on reprisals, ISHR delivered a statement highlighting the violations and reprisals faced by human rights defenders on the continent.

ACHPR68 | PERIODIC REVIEW OF NIGER

One of the few States to meet the African Commission’s reporting deadline, Niger submitted its 15th Periodic Reports covering the 2017-2019 period. The reports look at the country’s measures to give effect to human rights guaranteed by the African Charter.

ACHPR68 | PROTECT DEFENDERS IN AFRICA - STOP INTIMIDATING AND CRIMINALISING THEM

ISHR delivered a statement denouncing the arrests, intimidation and the criminalisation of the activities of numerous defenders, journalists and whistle-blowers in countries such as Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, the Republic of Congo or Burundi.

ACHPR68 | WOMEN MUST BE PROTECTED AGAINST SEXUAL & GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

The Maputo Protocol of the African Charter states that every woman has a right to the "dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition and protection of her human and legal rights". Despite this, sexual and gender-based violence remain structural and systemic issues in many African countries.

NGO FORUM & ACHPR68 | READ OUR FULL COVERAGE

NGO Forum | The impact of Covid-19 on elections in Africa READ MORE >
NGO Forum | Implementation of the African Commission's decision on the rights of the Endorois indigenous people of Kenya READ MORE >
ACHPR68 | NHRIs’ Forum on the "Rights of indigenous women in Africa" READ MORE >
ACHPR68 | Periodic review of the Republic of Malawi READ MORE >
ACHPR68 | Migrations, arts, culture and heritage matter for the realisation of human rights READ MORE >
ACHPR68 | Right to Peace: General Comment on Article 23 of the African Charter READ MORE >
ACHPR68 | Outcome of the 68th session of the African Commission READ MORE >

69TH SESSION'S SUMMARY

The ACHPR's 69th session took place from 15 November to 5 December 2021, marking the first time the body held a meeting in a hybrid format, with all Commissioners participating from Dakar, Senegal, and other participants joining online.

Read the 69th session's final communiqué here.

NGO FORUM | LAUNCH OF A LUSOPHONE HUMAN RIGHTS PLATFORM

Composed of NGOs from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe, the Portuguese-Speaking Human Rights Platform (PLUDH) was established as a collective action space for the promotion of human rights in Portuguese-speaking African countries.

ACHPR69 | PROTECT DEFENDERS IN AFRICA WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION

ISHR Africa Programme Manager Adélaïde Etong Kame delivered a statement highlighting the criminalisation and arrest of women defenders in Sudan and LGBTI defenders in Namibia, and the lack of progress on legislative protection of defenders in Benin and Mali.

ACHPR69 | ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN LIBERIA MORE THAN EVER AT RISK FROM AGRIBUSINESS

The expansion of agribusiness in Liberia is increasingly undermining respect for the human rights of local farmers and those who oppose agribusiness operations. ISHR and the Liberian Civil Society Oil Palm Working Group delivered a statement on the critical situation of human rights and environmental defenders in the country.

ACHPR69 | THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN EXILE

The African Commission held a panel on the situation of African defenders in exile on the continent, highlighting the "resilience" of such actors and discussing some of the major findings of an upcoming report on the subject.

ACHPR69 | PERIODIC REVIEW OF BENIN

The Commission reviewed the 6th to 10th combined reports of Benin on the legislative or other measures taken with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognised and guaranteed by the African Charter. Prior to the 69th session of the ACHPR, ISHR submitted a report for the review of Benin.

NGO FORUM & ACHPR69 | READ OUR FULL COVERAGE

NGO Forum | Civil society’s engagement with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights READ MORE >
NGO Forum | Outcome of the NGO Forum READ MORE >
ACHPR69 | Periodic review of the Republic of Namibia READ MORE >
ACHPR69 | Protect women human rights defenders in Sudan READ MORE >
ACHPR69 | A new study shows alarming results on the impact of extractive industries on human rights in Africa READ MORE >
ACHPR69 | Outcome of the 69th ordinary session of the African Commission READ MORE >

Have you been the target of reprisals or intimidations while engaging with the African Commission? Contact Remy Ngoy Lumbu, the African Commission's Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders ([email protected]) and ACHPR Legal Officer Estelle Nkounkou ([email protected]).

ISHR would like to thank Irish Aid for their generosity in supporting this publication.

Kumulika is a newsletter produced by ISHR with the aim of informing readers of developments and opportunities around the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.