By: Fatou Krubally
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has adopted a series of resolutions and policy frameworks at the end of its 87th Ordinary Session in Banjul.
The session, held from 24 April to 20 May in both virtual and physical formats, concluded on Wednesday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.
The final communiqué presented during the closing ceremony announced the adoption of guidelines on state reporting under the Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa and a continental study on the impact of climate change on human rights.
The commission also extended the mandate of its joint fact-finding mission on the human rights situation in Sudan.
In addition, the ACHPR adopted thematic resolutions focusing on the protection of human rights defenders, freedom of association and assembly, and the rights of workers in the informal sector.
Commissioners reviewed 13 communications concerning alleged human rights violations in member states and took decisions on admissibility, merits and withdrawals in line with Commission procedures.
The ACHPR also granted observer status to eight non-governmental organisations involved in the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.
The session further examined draft operational procedures aimed at strengthening urgent interventions, special mechanisms and the development of supplementary legal instruments within the African human rights system.
Officials attending the session stressed the need for stronger cooperation among African governments, regional institutions and civil society organizations in addressing emerging challenges, including climate change, shrinking civic space and armed conflict.
The 87th session brought together commissioners, representatives of African Union institutions, diplomats, civil society organizations and international partners involved in advancing human rights and accountability across the continent.