The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, meeting in its fifth ordinary session from 3-14 April 1989, in Benghazi, Libya:
Recalling that the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, adopted by the 18th Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in June 1981, in Nairobi (Kenya), entered into force on 21 October, 1986, in accordance with the provisions of its Article 63;
Recalling that, as a safeguard measure, the Charter established an African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, under the provisions of the Article 64, which was seated on 2 November 1987, after the election of its members, in July, 1982;
Considering that the UNO which has always endeavoured to conclude regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, has welcomed the adoption of the Charter and its entry into force;
Considering that the UNO has always encouraged the celebration of anniversaries in the field of human rights,
Conscious of the fact that these celebrations make it possible to widely disseminate the regional or international instruments, and the human hights and fundamental liberties they proclaim, and revive interest in these rights and liberties as well as promote a better awareness thereof;
Convinced that the celebration of the anniversary of the coming into force of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights would involve the peoples of the world in general and the African peoples in particular in the activities of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in the field of human and peoples’ rights and promote, as well, at the level of the African community in particular, the actual exercise and enjoyment of human and peoples’ rights and of the basic freedoms:
Invites the OAU Member States and all organisations concerned to adopt the 21st of October of every year as an African Day of Human Rights:
- to celebrate on that Day of the coming into force of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;
- to intensify their efforts to enable Africa to achieve new progress in that field.
