The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) meeting at its 19th Extra-Ordinary Session held in Banjul, The Islamic Republic of The Gambia, from 16 to 25 February 2016;
Recalling its mandate to promote human and peoples’ rights and ensure their protection in Africa under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;
Recalling also Resolution ACHPR/Res.77 (XXXVII) 05 on the creation of a Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the Commission (the Working Group);
Recalling further its previous: Resolution ACHPR/Res.124 (XXXXII) 07 and Resolution ACHPR/Res.150 (XLV1) 09 renewing the mandate of the Working Group; Resolution ACHPR/Res.233 (EXT.OS/XIII) 13 reconstituting the Working Group and modifying its mandate and composition; Resolution ACHPR/Res.280 renewing the mandate of the Working Group; and Resolution ACHPR/Res.311 (LVI1) 15 reconstituting the membership of the Working Group;
Noting with appreciation the accomplishments of the Working Group since its establishment;
Bearing in mind that the Working Group has in recent years been tasked with additional responsibilities pertaining to current matters relevant to the work of the Commission;
Also bearing in mind the establishment of a Legal Aid Fund for all African Union Human Rights Organs, as a result of which the mandate of the Working Group to establish a Voluntary Fund for Human Rights in Africa has become redundant;
Recognizing the need therefore, to modify the mandate of the Working Group;
The Commission:
Decides that the mandate of the Working Group be modified as follows, to:
Deal as a matter of priority with the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Commission for the years 2015 – 2019, and the associated resource mobilization strategy;
Deal with the mechanism and procedure for the follow-up on the recommendations and decisions of the Commission other than those relating to Communications or those provided for under the Commission’s Rules of Procedures;
Review the Rules of Procedure of the Commission (2010) in consultation with the Working Group on Communications, and propose amendments thereof to the Commission;
Advise the Commission on the governance and functioning of the Commission and its Secretariat in close collaboration with the Advisory Committee on Budgetary and Staff Matters; and
Perform any other tasks which may be entrusted to it by the Commission.
Requests the Secretariat of the Commission to employ all necessary efforts to mobilize resources that would assist the Working Group to carry out its mandate.
Done in Banjul, The Islamic Republic of The Gambia, 25 February 2016
