At its 47th Ordinary Session held from 12 to 26 May 2010 in Banjul, The Gambia, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Commission) adopted Resolution ACHPR/Res.163 (XLVI) 10 establishing a Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV.
The Committee is currently composed of three members of the Commission and six expert members. Its mandate is as follows:
- To seek, request, receive, analyse and respond to reliable information from credible sources including individuals, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, specialised agencies, inter-governmental organisations, and State Parties, on the situation and rights of people living with HIV and those at risk;
- To undertake fact-finding missions, where necessary, to investigate, verify and make conclusions and recommendations regarding allegations of human rights violations;
- To engage State Parties and non-state actors on their responsibilities to respect the rights of people living with HIV and those proven to be vulnerable to these infections;
- To engage State Parties on their responsibilities to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of people living with HIV and those at risk;
- To recommend concrete and effective strategies to better protect the rights of people living with HIV and those at risk;
- To integrate a gender perspective and give special attention to persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including women, children, sex workers, migrants, men having sex with men, intravenous drugs users and prisoners; and
- To report regularly to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
An opening has occurred for an expert member of this Committee, which the Commission is desirous of filling. Therefore, the Commission is inviting nominations from Member States of the African Union, National Human Rights Institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and other interested individuals and institutions.
Nominees must be nationals of member states of the African Union and are required to have expertise as well as demonstrable experience in issues surrounding the promotion and protection of human rights, in particular relating to the protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV.
Applications should be accompanied by a cover letter, a detailed curriculum vitae and any other relevant document, and should be received at the Secretariat of the Commission at the latest by 8 July 2014.
Applications should be sent by email to au-banjul@africa-union.org or africancommission@yahoo.com, or by courier to the following address:
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District, Western Region
P. O. Box 673 Banjul
The Gambia
Banjul, The Gambia, 8 April 2014
