Issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
Pursuant to Resolution ACHPR/Res.594 (LXXX) 2024
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The ACHPR, through Resolution ACHPR/Res.594 (LXXX) 2024, mandated the development of a Joint Analytical Study to examine the challenges that hinder effective litigation of women’s and girls’ rights before the AU’s human rights organs—the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Although Africa has a strong normative framework, including the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the use of regional mechanisms to litigate violations of women’s and girls’ rights remains limited. Persistent gaps between treaty ratification and implementation, low numbers of cases brought before the organs, and weak enforcement of decisions continue to constrain meaningful access to justice for women and girls.
Against this background, the draft Joint Study provides an expert-level analysis of the legal, procedural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers to litigation and proposes evidence-based recommendations to strengthen access, increase the number of cases filed, and improve the implementation of decisions. Stakeholder input is therefore sought to refine the Study, enrich its analysis and strengthen its recommendations, including through examples of good practices, case studies and practical strategies to address identified gaps in litigating women’s and girls’ rights before the AU organs.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
In line with the ACHPR’s consultative approach, the draft Study is being published for stakeholder review. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide focused inputs, including comments on specific sections, recommendations for strengthening the analysis, and actionable proposals to enhance access to justice for women and girls at the regional level.
HOW AND WHERE TO SUBMIT INPUTS
1. Deadline: 20 March 2026
2. Email submissions to:au-banjul@africanunion.org, copying NareM@africanunion.org
3. Format and language: Written submissions in English, French, Portuguese or Arabic, with clear referencing to specific sections of the Joint Study, where applicable.
4. Page limit: Concise, actionable recommendations preferred (max. 5 pages).
