30 November 2016, Banjul, Islamic Republic of The Gambia - The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights wishes to inform the general public that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission), through its subsidiary mechanism, namely the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights (WGEI), will be organizing an Experts' Consultative Meeting on the Drafting of Guidelines for State Reporting on Extractive Industries, Human Rights and the Environment, from 2 – 3 December, 2016, in Dakar, Senegal.
This Meeting is in furtherance of the implementation of a Resolution adopted by the African Commission at its 59th Ordinary Session held from 21 October to 04 November 2016, authorizing the Chairperson of the WGEI to elaborate State Reporting Guidelines on extractive industries, human rights and the environment (the Guidelines). The Meeting will serve as a critical opportunity to brainstorm on and start the process of elaborating these Guidelines.
The specific objectives of the Meeting are:
- To review the reporting practice of States with respect to Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) and the existing guidelines on State reporting, with a view to identifying the required areas of improvement;
- To define the scope and parameters for the drafting of the Guidelines, including identifying and discussing salient issues on extractive industries, human rights and environment falling within the purview of Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter; and
- To develop the Terms of Reference (ToRs) and outline for the drafting of the Guidelines, as well as the roadmap for their adoption.
The Meeting will be attended by various stakeholders, including the members of the African Commission, experts from the WGEI, selected independent experts working in the area of extractive industries, human rights and the environment, and staff of the Secretariat of the Commission.
After the two-day Meeting, participants are expected, amongst others: to have updated information on issues relating to extractive industries, human rights and environment within the context of the African Charter, and a broad agreement on the scope and parameters of the Guidelines; to have adopted the Terms of Reference and an outline for the development of the Guidelines; and to have constituted a team of experts who will act as focal points for the development of the Guidelines.
Attention: Abiola Idowu-Ojo
Secretariat, African Commission
31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District
Western Region
PO Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: 220 4410505/6
Fax: 220 4410504
E-mail: au-banjul@africa-union.org
