The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa organised a four day consultative meeting from 25-28 May 2015, in Cotonou, Benin to map out a strategy for implementation of the mechanism. The consultative meeting brought together a group of experts’ human rights defenders from different organisations
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was created out of Resolution ACHPR/Res. 69(xxxv) 04 adopted in 2004 by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. The mandate is inspired by the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Commission in 1998.
The Special Rapporteur would like to take this opportunity to call upon different stakeholders to increase efforts for effective cooperation in promotion and protection of human rights defenders in Africa.
Limitation of freedom of movement within Africa, the lack of conducive environments for human rights work and the persistence of harassment of human rights defenders, are frequent problems that increase the risk face by human rights defenders during performance of their daily duties. The Special Rapporteur calls upon the State Parties to open their boarders to human rights defenders and to respect provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Kigali and Grand Bay Declarations.
The Mandate of the Special Rapporteur has been extended to deal with Reprisals against human rights defenders and NGOs who cooperate with the African human rights system, in particular the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. This strategic consultation is the beginning of a new process that aim to deepen cooperation and dialogues between States, NGOs, National Human Rights Institutions, regional and international bodies and other stakeholders. The Special Rapporteur extends a message of appreciation to State Parties that have made progress in taking specific measures to promote and protect human right defenders through pieces of legislation and encourage other States to follow this positive example, to create conducive environments for human rights defenders in Africa.
The strategic meeting have also brought to light the lack of capacity and the need to increase understanding of the mandate by human rights defenders, State Parties, National Human Rights Institutions, regional and international human rights bodies. The Special Rapporteur will continue to provide the opportunity to take stock on her broad mandate by calling for innovative support to improve the responsibility to seek, receive, examine and act upon information.
Thursday, 23 May 2015
