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 Commission) will be organizing the afore-mentioned Regional Consultation, in collaboration with the Legal Resource Centre, from 29 to 31 August 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
This consultation, which is part of the promotion mandate of the Commission is being organized within the framework of Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter), and Resolution ACHPR/Res148 (XLVI) 09 which calls on the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations in Africa (the Working Group) to, inter alia, examine the impact of extractive industries in Africa within the context of the African Charter.
The main objective of the consultation is to evaluate and strengthen the implementation of Articles 21 and 24 of the African Charter which guarantees the right of peoples to freely dispose of their natural resources and enjoy a general satisfactory environment favorable to their development.
The consultation will be attended by representatives from Government, civil society and extractive industries from eight Southern African countries. It will be chaired by the Chairperson of the Working Group, Honorable Commissioner Pacifique Manirakiza, with the attendance of other Commissioner Members and Expert Members of the Working Group, while logistics, facilitation and coordination of the consultation will be done by the Legal Resources Centre.
Banjul, 22 August 2014
For further information, please contact: Ms. Wilmien Wicomb at wilmien@lrc.org.za; Ms. Olivia McCarthy at liv@live.co.za; and Ms. Irene Desiree Mbengue at irenedesire@yahoo.com.
