Expert Meeting on the Draft African Declaration on Promoting the Role of Human and Peoples' Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa
09- 11 April 2026
Dakar, Senegal
Final Communiqué
1. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), through the mechanism of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Focal Point on Reprisals and the Focal Point on Judicial Independence in Africa (the Special Rapporteur), organized a first meeting of experts on the draft African Declaration on the Promotion of the Role of Human Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa (the Statement), from 9 to 11 April 2026, in Dakar, Republic of Senegal.
2. This meeting is part of the Commission's advocacy mandate, under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and Resolution ACHPR/Res.432(LXV) 2019 which mandates the Special Rapporteur to develop an African Declaration on the Promotion of the Role of Human Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa (the African Declaration).
3. The meeting brought together twenty-two (22) experts:
- The Special Rapporteur, the Honourable Rémy Ngoy Lumbu;
- Delegates of States Parties;
- Delegates of National Human Rights Institutions;
- Representatives of civil society organizations;
- The Academia;
- The Executive Secretary of the Commission and;
- Secretariat staff.
4. The meeting reviewed and discussed the Draft African Declaration with a view to improving its content before the document was presented to the Commission for consideration and adoption.
5. The following parts of the Draft Declaration were discussed and followed by extensive and constructive discussions by all participants.
- Introduction with a statement of the conceptual framework;
- Part 1: Definition of the term human and peoples' rights defenders;
- Part 2: African philosophy of the defense of human and peoples' rights;
- Part 3: Categories of human and peoples' rights defenders;
- Part 4: Methods and means of human and peoples' rights defenders;
- Part 5: Guiding principles or traditional values to be considered for the defense of human and peoples' rights (shared African values).
- Part 6: Rights of Human and Peoples' Rights Defenders
- Part 7: Duties of Human and Peoples' Rights Defenders
- Part 8: Specific obligations and duties of the State defender of human and peoples' rights;
- Part 9: Collective responsibility to defend human and peoples' rights;
- Part 10: Limits, Standards and Mandates;
- Part 11: Harmful actions against human and peoples' rights defenders;
- Part 12: Domestication of the Declaration;
- Part 13: Broad interpretation of the Declaration;
- Part 14: Reporting on the implementation of the Declaration; and
- Part 15: The role of the Special Rapporteur on human and peoples' rights defenders, focal point on reprisals.
6. The expert meeting also worked in groups to reflect on issues not addressed by the Draft African Declaration with a view to formulating proposals for related principles. This was followed by discussions in plenary.
7. The closing of the meeting of Experts was marked by the presence of the Honourable Dr. Idrissa Sow, Chairperson of the Commission, who delivered a speech on the occasion.
8. The Commission, through the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Focal Point on Reprisals and Focal Point on Judicial Independence, expresses its sincere and deep gratitude to the Open Society Foundation for its financial support at this stage, which made it possible to materialize this initial consultation.
9. The Commission also expresses its gratitude to the Government of Senegal for agreeing to host the proceedings of the meeting.
10. The Commission indicates that this consultation is part of a long series that the Rapporteur will undertake before the final validation of the text and its official launch.
11. The Commission reiterates its commitment to promote the role of human rights defenders and their protection in Africa. It welcomes the active participation and significant contributions of all participants during the review of the Draft African Declaration.
Done in Dakar, Senegal, 11 April 2026
