The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 81st Ordinary Session, held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 17th October to 6th November 2024;
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Considering that as part of fulfilling its mandate, the Commission has established various mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa;
Recognizing its fundamental role to protect vulnerable groups in Africa from human rights violations;
Recognizing further that people living with HIV and those at risk are currently one of the most vulnerable groups exposed to human rights violations in some parts of Africa;
Recalling its Resolutions ACHPR/Res.163 (XLVII) 2010 adopted at its 47th Ordinary Session on the establishment of a Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV (the HIV Committee);
Recognizing the importance of the HIV Committee in the promotion and protection of the rights of People living with HIV (PLHIV) and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and affected by HIV in Africa and the necessity to allow the HIV Committee to continue to carry out its mandate;
Bearing in mind the Standard Operating Procedures on the Special Mechanisms of the Commission (the SOPs on Special Mechanisms) adopted at its 27th Extraordinary Session held from 19th February to 4th March 2020 in Banjul, The Gambia;
Noting in particular the guidelines set out in the SOPs on Special Mechanisms, including the general roles and responsibilities of mandate holders, the composition of the mechanisms, the appointment of members and the duration of their mandate as well as the code of conduct for mandate holders;
Noting Resolution ACHPR/Res.534 (LXXIII) 2022, which renewed the mandate of the HIV Committee and appointed Honorable Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana as Chairperson of the Committee for a period of two (2) years effective 9 November 2022, and also appointed Hon. Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga as Vice-Chairperson of the Committee for the same period; and Hon. Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie as a Member of the Committee for the same period. Further Noting that the same Resolution renewed for the same period (two years) the mandate of the following Expert Members: Mr. Christian Garuka Nsabimana (East Africa); Mr. Fogué Dzutué (Central Africa); Ms. Nyasha Constance Chingore (Southern Africa), and appointed Ms. Yvonne Ferguson (West Africa) as an Expert Member for the same period;
Noting Resolution ACHPR/Res.560 (LXXV) 2023, which appointed Prof. Rana Moustafa Ahmed Fouad Essawy (North Africa) as an Expert Member of the Committee for a term of two years (2) with effect from 23 May 2023;
Noting Resolution ACHPR/Res.574 (LXXVII) 2023, which appointed and reconstituted the Membership of the HIV Committee, with the following Members: Honorable Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana as Chairperson of the Committee; Honorable Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga as Vice-Chairperson of the Committee for the same period; and Honorable Commissioner Marie- Louise Abomo as a Member of the Committee, adopted on 9th November 2023;
Noting with appreciation the work undertaken by the Expert Members of the HIV Committee under the leadership of its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson in the discharge of its mandate;
THE COMMISSION:
Decides to renew the mandate of Members of the Committee for a period of two (2) years with effect from 6 November 2024:
a) Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana as Chairperson;
b) Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga, as Vice-Chairperson;
c) Commissioner Selma Sassi Safer, as a Member; and
d) Commissioner Marie-Louise Abomo, as a Member
Decides to renew the mandate of the following Expert Members of the Committee for the same period:
i. Mr. Christian Garuka Nsabimana (East Africa);
ii. Mr. Fogué Dzutué (Central Africa);
iii. Ms. Nyasha Constance Chingore (Southern Africa);
iv. Ms. Yvonne Ferguson (West Africa).
Done in Banjul, The Republic of the Gambia, 6th November 2024
