Dakar, Senegal – A training programme on “Advocacy and Engagement with African Human Rights Mechanisms” has commenced in Dakar, bringing together experts and representatives of Arabic-speaking civil society organisations to strengthen their capacity to engage effectively with regional human rights mechanisms.
The opening session featured Ayman Okail, legal expert and head of Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights; Mrs Hannah Forster, Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS); and Dr Naji Moulay Lahsen, Member of the ACDHRS Governing Council and head of the Independent Human Rights Commission Network in North Africa (CIDH).
The training is designed to strengthen participants’ understanding of the African human rights system, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the Forum of NGOs, while equipping civil society actors with practical advocacy and engagement skills.
Participants will explore the structure of African and international human rights mechanisms, mechanisms for communicating and engaging directly with the ACHPR and the NGOs Forum, and practical approaches to advocating for human rights issues during the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission.
The programme also provides an important opportunity for civil society organisations from North Africa and other Arabic-speaking communities to strengthen networks, exchange experiences and develop more effective approaches to human rights advocacy at the regional level.
The training is organised by Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights, in collaboration with the Independent Human Rights Commission Network in North Africa (CIDH) and ACDHRS, and is being held from 7 to 13 October 2026 in Dakar, Senegal, on the margins of the 89th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen dialogue between civil society organisations and African human rights mechanisms, enabling CSOs to contribute more effectively to monitoring, documentation, advocacy and the development of human rights recommendations.
The training underscores the importance of equipping civil society with the knowledge, networks and practical tools needed to make meaningful use of Africa’s human rights mechanisms.
