The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), wishes to inform the general public that it will, through its subsidiary mechanism, the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights in Africa (the Working Group) host a side event on the margins of its 63rd Ordinary Session. The sensitization side event on the State Reporting Guidelines and Principles on Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter Relating to Extractive Industries, the Environment and Human Rights will take place from 14:30 to 17:30 on 26 October 2018, at Coral Beach Hotel, The Gambia.
The elaboration of the Guidelines and Principles is aimed, amongst others, at helping State Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) to better understand the scope of their reporting obligations as well as the kind of information expected of them in fulfilling their reporting obligations under Article 62 of the African Charter as it relates to extractive industries within the framework of Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter; as well as enabling the Commission to strengthen its monitoring capacities through rectifying the gaps in the existing State reporting guidelines.
In developing the Guidelines and Principles, the Working Group received input from a wide range of stakeholders, including State Parties to the African Charter, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and civil society organisations, to improve the quality and ownership of the final document.
The Guidelines and Principles were developed pursuant to ACHPR/Res. 364(LIX) 2016: Resolution on Developing Reporting Guidelines with Respect to the Extractive Industries (Resolution 364) and will be launched during the Public Session of the Commission on 24 October 2018.
State Representatives, NHRIs and civil society organizations are invited to attend the side event. The event will be conducted in French and English with simultaneous interpretation
The Working Group wishes to thank the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) for providing support for this side event, within the broader Agreement between the African Commission and OIF.
