𝑨𝑪𝑫𝑯𝑹𝑺 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗹, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗮, 𝟳 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 – The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) will host a Training for Religious and Traditional Leaders on Engaging with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and Regional and International Human Rights Mechanisms from 14th to 16th October 2025 in Banjul, The Gambia. The training will be held under the theme: “From Tradition to Transformation: Empowering Religious and Traditional Leaders in Africa for the Consolidation of Democracy, Rule of Law, and Human Rights.”

This timely initiative seeks to bridge the gap between influential local leaders and human rights mechanisms. Religious and traditional leaders are often at the forefront of community life across Africa, with the capacity to shape values, resolve conflicts, and foster peace. However, their engagement with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and other human rights bodies has been limited. This training will empower them with knowledge and tools to actively participate in regional and international processes, promote human rights, and contribute to building inclusive and just societies.

The program will enhance participants’ understanding of the ACHPR, strengthen their advocacy and lobbying skills, and provide a platform for dialogue and experience-sharing among leaders from diverse African communities. It will also address critical challenges such as religious extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, and sexual and gender-based violence.

A total of 25 religious and traditional leaders from across Africa will take part in the training. They will gain practical skills to engage effectively with human rights mechanisms, develop strategies for advancing democracy and the rule of law, and establish a continental network dedicated to human rights promotion and protection.

The training precedes the Forum of NGOs and the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, also scheduled to take place in Banjul this month.

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁:

𝙼𝚛. 𝙿𝚊 𝙼𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚞 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚖

𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙾𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚛, 𝙰𝙲𝙳𝙷𝚁𝚂

𝚃𝚎𝚕: +𝟸𝟸0 𝟹𝟷𝟼 𝟹𝟻0𝟿

𝙴𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕: 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚌𝚘𝚖@𝚊𝚌𝚍𝚑𝚛𝚜.𝚘𝚛𝚐