Introduction

The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the Ordinary Sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), also known as the ‘NGOs Forum’ is an advocacy platform coordinated by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (African Centre) to promote advocacy, lobbying and networking among Human Rights NGOs, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.

 The NGOs Forum shares updates on the human rights situation in Africa by the African and international NGOs community with a view of identifying responses as well as adopting strategies towards improving the human rights situation on the continent.

Objective: fostering closer collaboration between and among NGOs and with the African Commission, for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights in Africa under the said themes.

 Content

The Forum will cover three (3) main thematic areas namely:

  1. Status of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (update from sub-regional Focal Points on the general situation of human rights in Africa)
  2. Special Interest Groups Discussions (Kindly note that the list of not exhaustive, new interest groups are welcome)
  3. Prisons and Conditions of Detention in Africa
  4. Rights of Women in Africa
  5. Human Rights Defenders in Africa
  6. Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa
  7. Prevention of Torture in Africa
  8. Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa
  9. Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa
  10. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa
  11. Death Penalty and Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa
  12. Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities in Africa
  13. People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV
  14. Extractive Industries; Environment and Human Rights Violations
  15. Policing and Human Rights
  16. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)
  17. Freedom of Association and Assembly
  18. Peace and Security in Africa
  19. Enforced disappearances
  20. Networking for Human Rights in Africa (sharing experiences, best practices and lessons learnt on how youth, advocacy networks have contributed or could contribute to democracy and human rights in Africa. A series of panel discussions on general human rights related issues will be organized within the main agenda of the NGOs Forum as well as at side events, and even extending to the margins of the Ordinary Session.

 Language: The deliberations of the Forum will be in English and French with available simultaneous interpretation facilities.

Participants: Representatives from African civil society/NGOs, international NGOs from Africa and beyond working on democracy, human rights and the rule of law issues, academia, media, etc,

Expected Outcomes:

  • Adoption of Recommendations and Resolutions to be forwarded to the African Commission for its consideration during the Ordinary Session
  • NGOs Statement at the official opening of the Ordinary Session (highlighting deliberations of the NGOs Forum)
  • Presentation of alternative reports on the situation of human rights in Africa
  • Networking, advocacy and lobbying opportunity by participants at different levels
  • Report of the NGOs Forum and African Human Rights Bookfair


Click Below For More Information related to the NGOs Forum:
NGOs Forum Panel Request Form – April, 2018
Le Forum sur la participation des ONG
INFORMATION BROCHURE

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