The 66^th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights will be held online, from 13 July to 7 August 2020. The African Commission session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held online on 9 & 10 July 2020.

What will happen during the NGO Forum and 66^th ordinary session of the African Commission?

The NGO Forum

The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the Ordinary Sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Commission), also known as the ‘NGOs Forum’ is an advocacy platform coordinated by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) to promote advocacy, lobbying and networking among and between human rights NGOs, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa. The NGOs Forum shares updates on the human rights situation in Africa by the African and international NGOs community with a view of identifying responses as well as adopting strategies towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the continent.

This session, will be a first in its format and will seek to keep civil society engaged in the work of the Commission.

On 10 July there will be two panels:

• Silencing the Guns in Africa:  the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of the 2020 AU theme
• 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325: The impact of COVID-19 on women, youth, peace and security in Africa 

The NGO Forum is seeking your input for the draft resolution which will be submitted to the ACHPR. You can contribute here:

Résolution sur la protection des droits humains en Afrique pendant la pandémie du COVID-19 –  French draft

Resolution on the protection of human rights in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic – English draft

The 66^th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

• Panel discussions (Item 4 & 5)

• Discussion on the major human rights issues arising in the context of COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the Commission in response, 14 July, 11.15am to 1 pm.
• Making human rights a priority during and after COVID-19, 15 July, 11.15am to 1pm
• Human Rights and COVID-19: Socio-economic Impact and Silencing the Guns, 16 July, 9am to 11am

• State periodic Reports (Item 7)

During this session, pursuant to Article 62 of the African Charter and State Parties obligation to report every two years on the legislative or other measures taken with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed by the Charter, four countries will be reviewed:

• Cameroon’s review will be based on its combined 4^th to 6^th periodic report, covering the period 2015-2019 and submitted to the ACHPR in January 2020. (23 July, 9am to 12pm)
• Niger’s review will be based on the 15^th periodic report, covering the period 2017-2019 submitted in November 2019 (20 July, 9am to 13am).
• Mauritius’ will present its 9^th to 10^th combined periodic report covering the period 2016-2019 submitted to the Commission in February 2020 (24 July, 9am to 12pm).

• Activity reports (Item 8)

During every session, special mechanisms from the African Commission present their activity report. These reports catalogue the activities and initiatives undertaken by each mechanism inter-sessionally:

• Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa   
• Special Rapporteur on Rights of Women
• Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information            
• Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons
• Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa          
• Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights       
• Working Group on Death Penalty, Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Africa       
• Working Group on Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities
• Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa         
• Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations
• Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV

For the full programme, click here.

What will ISHR do during this session?

During this session, ISHR will make several statements under Items 3 and 8:

• The situation of human rights in Africa
• Activity reports

• Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa
• Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations

How can you follow the session?

You can register here

13 July 2020 – 24 July 2020 – Public Session

https://zoom.us/j/91422331962?pwd=akRoYXNqTGpoT2E5cTQ0U1ArbTBLZz09

Password:125610

07 August 2020 – Closing Ceremony (Public Session)

https://zoom.us/j/92776089581?pwd=a3lQZjA4cmVLanNsaHdEeWtvK1JSQT09

Password:040960

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

ISHR will monitor and report on key developments at the 66th ordinary session of the African Commission. Follow us on Twitter at @ISHRglobal, @ISHR_fr and at #ACHPR66. Our staff can also be followed @Adelaide_ISHR, @StephanieWamba.