African Commission | Alert to the 38th NGO Forum and 64th Ordinary session

NGO Forum                                        

The objective of the NGO Forum is to foster closer collaboration among NGOs and the African Commission for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights in Africa, prior to the African Commission’s ordinary sessions. Since the African Union declared 2019 as the year of refugees, returnees and internally displaced people (IDPs), for this session the overall theme will be the African Union’s Convention on Refugees, Returnees and IDPs: Towards durable solutions for forced displacements.

Panel discussions

The NGO Forum will feature a number of panel discussions, focusing on adequate solutions to forced displacement in Africa as well as on human rights defenders and public freedom in Africa.

• Panel 1: Refugees, IDPs and Migrants in Africa: towards a durable solution – 20 April 2019
• Panel 2: Interconnectedness between Human rights, displacement and asylum for Youths Implementation of Resolutions 275 – 20 April 2019 
• Panel 6: Human Rights Defenders in Africa / Human Rights in Africa – 22 April 2019
• Panel 7: Public Freedom in Africa – 22 October 2018

64th African Commission session

Panel discussions and events scheduled for the ACHPR session:

• Launch of the newly adopted AU Transitional Justice Policy – Item 5, Thursday 25 April 2019
• Panel on the Abolition of the Death Penalty – Item 5, Thursday 25 April 2019
• Joint Panel on Civic Space and Launch of Documents on Human Rights Defenders (Addis Ababa Roadmap) – Item 5, Thursday 25 April 2019
• Panel on Monitoring Prisons by CSOs – a Way to Prevent Torture and Launch of Newsletter No 12 on Police and Human Rights – Item 5, Saturday 27 April 2019
• Panel on Addressing Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants from Human Rights Perspective. (Egypt and UNODC) – Item 5, Saturday 27 April 2019
• CPTA-CTI Panel: Supporting State Action against Torture and Ill-treatment in Africa and Launch CPTA documents Human Rights Situation in Africa cont’d – Item 5, Saturday 27 April 2019
• Panel Discussion on the State Reporting Obligation and Guidelines to Reporting under the Maputo Protocol – Item 5, Sunday 28 April 2019
• Launch of the Study on Transitional Justice and Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa. (ACHPR) – Item 5, Sunday 28 April 2019
• Panel on Revision of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa – Item 5, Monday 29 April 2019
• Panel on the Ratification of the Protocol on Persons with Disabilities and the Protocol on Older Persons – Item 5, Monday 29 April 2019
• Panel on corruption and its effects on the enjoyment of human Rights (Egypt)– Item 4, Tuesday 30 April 2019

State periodic Reports

The Republic of Gambia’s review will be based on its 2^nd periodic report, covering the period 1994-2018 and submitted to the ACHPR in September 2018. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Gambia will be considered under Item 8 on Thursday 2 May 2019.

The Arab Republic of Egypt’s review will be based on its 4^th periodic report, covering the period 2001-2017 and submitted to the ACHPR in October 2018. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Egypt will be considered under Item 9 on Tuesday 30 April 2019.

Lesotho’s review will be based on the 2^nd periodic report, combining its 2^nd – 8^th reports, submitted in November 2018. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Lesotho will be considered under item 8 Wednesday 1st May 2019. 

Activity Reports of Members of the Commission & Special Mechanisms (Item 6)

• Chairperson of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa.
• Vice Chairperson & Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.

ISHR Events

Panel at the NGO Forum: Protecting defenders working on the rights of people on the move (TBC)

22 April 2019, 9:00 – 10:45am (TBC)

Sharm El Sheikh

Present an overview of the situation of defenders working on the rights of people on the move in Africa, the restrictions they faced and the work of UN mandates on the topic.

Side event at the Commission: Restrictions on civic space in Africa (TBC)

25 April 2019 (TBC)

International Conference Centre Jolie Ville Sharm El Sheikh

Overview of the situation in Africa, in particular improvements and bad practices in recent years. Opportunity to discuss the role played by different stakeholders such as the State, NHRI, regional and international mechanisms. 

For the African Commission’s provisional agenda, click here.

ISHR will monitor and report on key developments at the 64^th ordinary session of the African Commission. Follow us on Twitter at @ISHRglobal, @ISHR_fr and at #ACHPR64. Our staff can also be followed @Adelaide_ISHR