Objectives: The session aims at providing practical information and skills for effectively carrying out advocacy before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. At the end of the session participants are expected to be more knowledgeable of the role and profiles of each Commissioner; to better understand what the concrete opportunities for advocacy are during the ordinary sessions of the African Commission and during the inter-session period; to be better equipped to directly engage with Commissioners during the session; to participate in the State reporting procedure ex art. 62 under the new Rules of Procedures.
Audience: The session is particularly indicated for human rights defenders with limited interaction and familiarity with the space and the context of African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It is also useful for human rights defenders who are interested at elaborating specific advocacy strategies.
Pre-requisite:
Pre-registration for this session is required (contact information below). Previous participation to the Introduction to the African human rights system (or basic understanding of the system, its instruments and organs) is recommended.
Methodology: The session will consist in an interactive presentation, with support of power point slides and examples based on experience of facilitators and other participants.
Duration: 120 minutes
Outline:
- The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: the commissioners, their roles and their mandates
- The ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and civil society participation
- Civil society engagement: the NGO Forum
- Advocacy before the African Commission: resolutions and recommendations
- State reporting procedure
- New Rules of Procedure and civil society alternative reports
- The African Commission and the observer status for civil society
- Advocacy during the inter-session period
- Getting to know the Commissioners and practical ways to approach them
Contacts: Berry Nibogora (berry@amsher.org), Stefano Fabeni (
stefano@synergiaihr.org), Zaharadeen Gambo (zaharadeen@synergiaihr.org).