The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 85th Ordinary Session, held from 07 to 30th October 2024 in Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia;
RECALLING its mandate to promote and protect human rights in Africa under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter);
NOTING that Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights confers citizens the right to participate freely in the affairs of government, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law;
INSPIRED by the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance, which underscores the significance of African States’ adherence to universal democratic values, respect for human rights, and the promotion of regular, free, and fair elections that institutionalize legitimate governance and facilitate democratic change;
CONCERNED by the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government (UCG) and military coups, undermining electoral democracy and contributing to insecurity, conflict, and developmental stagnation across Africa;
FURTHER CONCERNED by continental trends on decreased voter turnout during general elections, shrinking civic space during electoral campaign periods and the violation of various human and peoples’ rights prior to, during and in the aftermath of elections;
MINDFUL OF the need to strengthen the impartiality, independence, and integrity of Election Management Bodies (EMBs), given the growing public concerns arising from limited consultation in appointment processes and insufficient transparency, which risk eroding confidence in the credibility and legitimacy of electoral processes;
CONCERNED BY insufficient attention given to the regulation of political financing across the African continent, which has heightened fears about the growing influence of illicit funds in electoral processes and the potential impact on transparency, and democratic integrity;
APPRECIATING the crucial role played by citizen observers in providing oversight and accountability in electoral processes through election observation and monitoring across the continent;
REAFFIRMING its belief and recognition that electoral democracy and rule of law cannot be consolidated on the African continent without the cultivation of an open and safe civic space that facilitates citizen participation, either individually or through civic organizations and political groupings;
The Commission:
Calls on all African States to:
1. Universally ratify, domesticate and implement the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance as a shared values instrument that demonstrates their collective commitment to electoral integrity and democratic governance.
2. Strengthen the independence of Election Management Bodies and Political Party Regulators by guaranteeing transparency in the appointment of officials that manage them, ensuring security of tenure, and providing adequate funding for their functions.
3. Universally ratify, domesticate and implement the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection, and to engage with stakeholders to develop further legal frameworks and guidelines which ensure that the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in electoral processes, serve to enhance rather than undermine electoral integrity.
4. Embrace and legislate for a more open civic space including in the digital sphere, and expunge restrictive laws that hinder freedom of assembly, association, and expression, which are critical to robust political participation.
5. Reform the laws and policies governing election observation to ensure that the accreditation processes for citizen electoral observers are not unduly burdensome, expensive, or restrictive but instead foster inclusivity and bolster the integrity of electoral processes through civilian oversight.
6. Strengthen their judiciaries by providing adequate funding, resources, and guarantees of independence, especially in timely adjudication of electoral disputes.
7. On the basis of transparency and mitigating the undue commercialization of politics, enact and strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks that regulate the financing of political parties and candidates for election campaigns.
Done in Banjul, The Gambia, 30 October 2025
