The Forum of NGOs Participating in the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) officially opened on 8 October 2026 in Dakar, Senegal, bringing together civil society organisations, human rights defenders, African human rights institutions, government representatives, development partners and other stakeholders from across the continent.
Convened by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), the three-day Forum provides a platform for dialogue, reflection and collective advocacy ahead of the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission.
Welcoming participants, ACDHRS Executive Director Mrs Hannah Forster underscored the Centre’s longstanding commitment to strengthening human rights, democracy and civil society participation across Africa. She highlighted the role of the NGO Forum as an important bridge between African civil society and regional human rights mechanisms, enabling organisations and defenders to share experiences, develop common advocacy positions and bring community concerns to the attention of the African Commission.
The Forum is being held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.” Mrs Forster stressed that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene must be understood not only as a development priority but also as a human rights imperative, given its direct links to health, dignity, food security, livelihoods and sustainable development.
In her opening remarks, Hon. Justice Solomy Bossa, Chairperson of the ACDHRS Governing Council, called for human rights discussions to translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives. She noted that Africa continues to face challenges including shrinking civic spaces, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, conflicts, displacement and discrimination.
“Human rights are not privileges. They are rights inherent to every human being, and their protection is a shared responsibility,” Justice Bossa said.
She also emphasised the importance of ensuring that the voices of women, children, persons with disabilities, young people, displaced persons, minorities and human rights defenders remain central to Africa’s human rights agenda.
The Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Idrissa Sow, welcomed the Forum as a vital space for dialogue between the Commission and civil society. He noted that the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the African Charter, to be commemorated on 21 October 2026, provides an important opportunity to reflect on the achievements and remaining gaps in the implementation of the Charter.
He stressed that the true measure of the Charter lies in its impact on the lives of ordinary Africans, noting that civil society remains an indispensable partner in documenting violations, supporting victims and engaging regional human rights mechanisms.
The opening session also heard from representatives of the Senegalese Ministry of Justice, the National Human Rights Commission of Senegal, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Speakers highlighted the interconnectedness of human rights, water and sanitation, climate resilience, democratic governance and peace. They also drew attention to the challenges facing civil society and human rights defenders, including restrictions on civic space, harassment, reprisals and barriers to meaningful participation.
Addressing the Forum, the representative of the Senegalese Minister of Justice emphasised that water is closely linked to dignity, health, education, equality and development. He called for stronger investment, effective governance and meaningful civil society participation in the development and implementation of water and sanitation policies.
The UNOWAS representative similarly stressed that fair, inclusive and sustainable management of water resources is important not only for development but also for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, particularly in communities affected by climate-related pressures and resource insecurity.
The opening session set the stage for three days of discussions on some of the continent’s most pressing human rights and governance challenges. Among the issues being examined are shrinking civic space, women’s rights, water justice, the situation of human rights and democracy across Africa, the protection of human rights defenders, and the rights of communities facing discrimination.
As the Forum continues, participants are expected to develop concrete recommendations for engagement with the African Commission and other regional and international mechanisms, reinforcing the central role of civil society in advancing human rights and democratic governance across Africa.
The Forum runs from 8–10 October 2026 at the Pullman Dakar Teranga Hotel in Dakar, Senegal.
