The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Commission), by Resolution ACHPR/Res.143(XXXXV) 09, adopted by its 45th Ordinary Session held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 13 to 27 May 2009, established the Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities in Africa (Working Group).
The Working Group is composed of five Experts representing the five regions of the continent, taking into account the imperatives of linguistic and gender representation. Its mandate is as follows:
· Facilitate and conduct comparative research on the different aspects of the human rights of older persons and people with disabilities on the continent, in particular their socio-economic rights;
· Collect statistical data on older persons and people with disabilities in order to promote greater consideration of their rights in the development of policies and programmes of States Parties;
· Identify good practices with a view to their replication;
· Promote the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (the Working Group was the driving force behind their formulation by the African Commission);
· Produce a detailed report on its activities to the African Commission at each Ordinary Session.
The Working Group's mandate also includes promotion missions to States Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter), organization of seminars and training sessions, publication of reports and research findings, sending urgent appeals to States Parties to the African Charter and active participation in regional and international meetings on the Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities.
In accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures on the Special Mechanisms of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, its mandate and Resolution ACHPR/Res. 458 (LXVI) 2020 on the Renewal of the Mandate of the Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities in Africa and on the Appointment of its Chairperson and Members, under which the mandate of the current members expires on 30th June 2022, the Working Group invites interested persons to submit their applications to serve as Independent Expert Members.
Candidates must be nationals of the Member States of the African Union and have proven experience and expertise in the field of human rights, in particular on issues relating to the Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities. The term of office of the members of the Working Group shall be two (2) years.
Applications must be accompanied by a covering letter, a detailed curriculum vitae and any other relevant documents. It shall be received at the Secretariat of the Commission within one (1) month from the date of publication of this call, namely no later than on 11 July 2022. The Commission intends to appoint the new Expert Members of the Working Group during its 72nd Ordinary Private Session. Dates of the said Session will be communicated in due course.
Applications must be sent by e-mail to au-banjul@africa-union.org and africancommission@yahoo.com, or by post to the address below:
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District, Western Region
P.O. Box 673 Banjul
The Gambia
