MEDIA ADVISORY: 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), 17 October – 6 November 2024

Media Advisory: 00000 /2024                     Date: 4 October 2024
 
Venue: Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Banjul, Gambia

81st  Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) 

WHAT:  The 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights
 
WHEN: 17 October – 6 November 2024
 
Public Session (In-person): 17 – 27 October 2024

Opening Ceremony:  Thursday, 17 October 2024, (In-person) 09:00 – 11: 30 Hours (GMT) with the press conference scheduled soon after. 

Other Session Days:
Mondays to Thursdays:  09:00 – 17:30 Hours (GMT)
Fridays: 09:00 – 13:00 Hours (GMT)
Sundays: 14:30 – 17:30 Hours (GMT)
Private Session: 28 October – 5 November 2024
           
Public Session: Closing Ceremony (In-person) 6 November 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 Hours (GMT)

VENUE: Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Kololi, The Gambia 

WHO: Convened by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, all States Parties, Organs of the African Union, National Human Rights Institutions, International Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, and other members of the general public are invited to attend.

NOTE TO EDITORS: 
1.    The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) is the premier human rights body of the African Union, established under Article 30 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter), the founding treaty of the African Human Rights system, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.       

2.    The ACHPR is an autonomous treaty body of the African Union, and is composed of eleven (11) Commissioners pursuant to Article 31 of the African Charter, who are elected by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. The Commissioners sit in their personal capacity and in an independent and impartial manner. 

3.    The mandate of the ACHPR is defined in Article 45 of the African Charter and includes: the promotion and protection of human and peoples' rights on the continent; the interpretation of any provision of the African Charter, at the request of a State Party, an OAU institution or an African Organization recognized by the African Union; and the formulation of principles and rules on fundamental freedoms on which African governments can base their legislation. 

4.    The ACHPR meets four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold ExtraOrdinary Sessions. Since its inception, the ACHPR has held eighty (80) Ordinary Sessions and thirty-seven (37) Extraordinary Sessions. 

5.    The 81st Ordinary Session, will be in-person; participants who wish to attend are required to register online within the deadline given. 

6.    The Commission will focus on the following Session Activities: 
i. Human Rights Situation in Africa;
ii. Joint Commemoration of the Africa Human Rights Day & Colloquium on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in Africa;
iii. Consideration of State Party Reports;
iv. Discussion on Relationship and Cooperation between the ACHPR with National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs);
v. Consideration of Applications for Observer Status from NGOs;
vi. Activity Reports of Commissioners;
vii. Panel Discussions;
viii. Consideration of Communications;
ix. Consideration of Concluding Observations;
x. Consideration of Reports and other documents.

The Ordinary Session will be live streamed on:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgwJmiMTr59J0jYZJJtfzuw    

7.  In accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter, which requires States Parties to submit Periodic Reports to the ACHPR every two years, the Commission will also examine State Periodic Reports for Angola, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. 

8.  Thereafter, the ACHPR will retreat into Private Sittings where it will deliberate on and take decisions on various reports, and on registered complaints of human rights violations [Communications]. 
 
Further information on the ACHPR can be obtained from the ACHPR’s website at www.achpr.au.int 
 
For media interested in participating in the opening and closing press briefing:

Please contact: Ms. Samantha Kambule, e-mail: kambules@africa-union.org  
 
For documentation and materials, please contact: Ms Coumba Sonko sonkoc@africa-union.org