PRESS STATEMENT
ACHPR Concludes Validation Workshop of the Draft Study on Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 8 February 2026
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), through its Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa (WGIPM), has successfully concluded a two day Validation Workshop of the Draft Study on Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa, held from 7 to 8 February 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The workshop was attended by 55 participants from 23 African Union Member States: Algeria, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. It brought together Indigenous representatives from all five regions of Africa (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Africa), members of the African Commission, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, experts, and development partners.
The validation process forms part of the ACHPR’s mandate under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and is undertaken pursuant to Resolution ACHPR/Res.646 (LXXXV) 2025, which mandated the Working Group to conduct a follow up study to the Commission’s landmark 2003 and 2005 Reports on Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa.
Key Outcomes of the Workshop
During the workshop, participants:
• Reviewed and critically examined the draft study, including its methodology, thematic focus, and regional mapping;
• Provided substantive inputs to strengthen the accuracy, inclusivity, and contextual relevance of the study;
• Identified emerging and persistent challenges faced by Indigenous Populations and Communities, including land dispossession, marginalization, climate change impacts, extractive activities, and limited participation in decision making;
• Emphasized the importance of self identification, lived realities, and gender responsive and region specific analysis; and
• Reaffirmed the guiding principle of Indigenous Peoples’ rights advocacy: “Nothing about us, without us.”
The validation workshop ensured that the study is firmly grounded in Indigenous perspectives and reflects the diverse realities of Indigenous Populations and Communities across the continent.
Next Steps
The inputs and recommendations arising from the validation workshop will be consolidated and integrated into the draft study by the Working Group and the ACHPR Secretariat. The revised study will thereafter be submitted to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for consideration in one of its upcoming ordinary sessions.
Once finalized, the study is expected to serve as a key reference document for African Union Member States, regional and international institutions, civil society organizations, and indigenous communities, in advancing the recognition, protection, and promotion of the rights of Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa.
Acknowledgements
The African Commission expresses its appreciation to all Indigenous representatives for their meaningful engagement and invaluable contributions. The Commission also acknowledges the continued collaboration with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and extends its gratitude to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and other partners for their support in making this validation process possible.
Hon. Comm. Dr. Litha Musymi-Ogana
Chairperson of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities
(WGIPM)
