The Centre was established in 1989 in The Gambia, by an Act of Parliament. In 1995, the Centre became an autonomous and independent Pan-African NGO.  It was established as an implementing arm of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to uphold and promote Article 25 in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which states that ‘State Parties [have]  ‘the duty to promote and ensure through teaching, education and publication, the respect of the rights and freedoms contained in the Charter as to see to it that these freedoms and rights as well as corresponding obligations are understood’.