The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (the African Commission) will hold its 59th Ordinary Session from 21 October to 04 November 2016 in Banjul, Islamic Republic of The Gambia.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (the African Commission) will hold its 59th Ordinary Session, from 21 October to 04 November 2016 in Banjul, Islamic Republic of The Gambia.
The African Union has declared 2016 as the Year for Human Rights with particular focus on the rights of women. This year marks a veritable watershed in the continental human rights trajectory, including: the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter), in addition to the 30thanniversary of its entry into force; the 29th anniversary of the operationalization of the African Commission; the 15th anniversary of the operationalization of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; the 10th anniversary of the operationalization of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Court); and the 13thanniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol).
The objective of the year, therefore, is to mark, commemorate and celebrate these significant milestones in Africa’s continental human rights progression. Additionally, the general objective of the celebrations is to raise awareness on human and peoples’ rights on the continent, in particular, women’s rights and take stock of progress or efforts made, including major challenges and/or obstacles encountered.
The African Commission has organized a number of activities from the 21 to 25 October 2016, to celebrate the year. These include a Joint Opening Ceremony on the 21 October and the Human Rights Dialogue on the 22 October.
Among other things, the Human Rights Dialogue will deliberate on the ratification and domestication of African Union (AU) Human Rights instruments; implementation of decisions of AU Organs with a human rights mandate; as well as synergy and coordination.
From 23 to 25 October, the African Commission will hold activities on the following topic: “Human Rights in Africa through the lenses of the Special Mechanisms of the African Commission, with the focus on women.”
A number of high profile personalities and organizations are expected to grace the Opening Ceremony of these activities including: the Host Government; Commissioner Aïcha Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the AUC; H.E. Roger Nkodo Dang, the President of the Pan African Parliament; the President and Judges of the African Court; the Chairperson and Members of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of Children; the Chairperson and Members of the AU Advisory Board on Corruption; the Chairperson of the AU Commission on International Law; Professor Eddy Maloka, CEO of the African Peer Review Mechanism; and Commissioner Margarette May Macaulay, Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Banjul, 21 October 2016
For further information, please contact:
The Secretariat of the African Commission
31 Bijilo Annex Lay-out, Kombo North District
Western Region
P.O. Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel.: (+220) 4410505/4410506
Fax: (+220) 4410504
Email: au-banjul@africa-union.org; africancommission@yahoo.com
