Alert | NGO Forum and 63rd Ordinary session of the African Commission

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 ordinary sessions. Since the African Union declared 2018 as the African Anti–Corruption Year, for this session the overall theme will be: ‘the African Union convention on preventing and combatting corruption: winning or losing the fight’.

Panel discussions

The NGO Forum will feature several panel discussions, focusing on the impact of corruption in Africa and celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights as well as the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on human rights defenders.

• Panel 1: The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the state of promotion, protection and the fulfilment of human and peoples’ rights in Africa  – 20 October 2018
• Panel 4: Commemoration of 2018 African Human Rights day – 21 October 2018
• Panel 5: 15th anniversaryn of the Maputo Protocol: reigniting CSOs efforts towards universal  ratification, domestication and implementation – 21 October 2018
• Panel 7: The proposed African Union Reforms and their implications for the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights – 22 October 2018
• Panel 8: The Year of Combatting Corruption- Opportunities & Challenges – 22 October 2018
• Panel 9: Promoting Safety of Journalists and Confronting Impunity – 22 October 2018

63^rd African Commission session

Panel discussions and events scheduled for the African Commission session:

• Launch of State Reporting Guidelines and Principles on Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Item 4, Wednesday 24 October 2018
• Launch of the Newsletter of the Working group on Extractive Industries, Human Rights and the Environment in Africa – Item 4, Wednesday 24 October 2018
• Panel on the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the state of play in Africa – Item 4, Thursday 25 October 2018
• Launch of the Principles on Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa – Item 4, Thursday 25 October 2018
• Panel discussion on Implementation – Item 4, Thursday 25 October 2018
• Panel on Torture and Migrants – Item 4, Thursday 25 October 2018
• Panel on Twenty Years of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998-2018) and Five Years of Resolution 68/91 on Women Human Rights Defenders (2013-2018): Achievements and Way Forward – Item 4, Friday 26 October 2018
• Panel on State Reporting Obligations and Guidelines to Reporting under the Maputo Protocol – Item 4, Friday 26 October 2018
• Panel on Extrajudicial Killings in Africa – Item 4, Saturday 27 October 2018
• Panel on Persons with Albinism – Item 4, Saturday 27 October 2018
• Event/Panel on Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections – Item 4, Sunday 28 October 2018

State periodic reports

The Republic of Botswana’s review will be based on its 2nd and 3rd periodic report, covering the period 2011-2015 and submitted to the African Commission in October 2017. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Botswana will be considered under Item 8 on Monday 29 October 2018.

The Republic of Angola’s review will be based on its 6th periodic report, covering the period 2011-2016 and submitted to the African Commission in March 2018. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Angola will be considered under Item 7 on Monday 29 October 2018.

Togo’s review will be based on the periodic report, combining its 6, 7 and 8 reports, submitted in March 2018. It captures developments within Togo on the realisation of the rights guaranteed by the African Charter from 2011 to the end of 2016. The presentation of the report of the Republic of Togo will be considered under Item 7 on Tuesday 30 October 2018.

Activity Reports of Members of the Commission & Special Mechanisms (Item 8)

• African Commission’s Vice-Chairperson & Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa
• Chairperson of the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations in Africa
• Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa
• Chairperson of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa

ISHR Events

Side event: 20 years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on HRDs, where are we? : the experience of the development of national laws for the promotion and protection of HRDs

25 October 2018, 5pm

 Labranda Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, Banjul, The Gambia

Today, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, it is important to assess what is the impact of the recent evolution in the protection of human rights defenders in Africa, more specifically in West Africa through the adoption of national protection laws in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali? What are the challenges for their full implementation? How can civil society initiatives be strengthened so that they impact the implementation of these mechanisms? These are the questions our panellists will try to answer during this side event.

Panellists:

• Marthe Pedan Coulibaly, Coordinator of the Ivorian Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, Cote d’Ivoire
• Djingarey Maiga, Coalition Malienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains, Mali
• Alphonsus Gbanie, Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Defenders Network, Sierra Leone
• Ella Mindja, Advocacy Officer at SOS Multisectorial Legal Information, the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Pr Remy Ngoy Lumbu, ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

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

ISHR will monitor and report on key developments at the 63^rd ordinary session of the African Commission. Follow us on Twitter at @ISHRglobal, @ISHR_fr and at #ForumAchpr63 or #ACHPR63. Our staff can also be followed @Adelaide_ISHR