The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) concluded its 87th Ordinary Session on 20 May 2026, adopting a series of landmark documents and resolutions to strengthen human rights protection across the continent.
Held under Article 64(2) of the African Charter, the session combined a virtual private segment from 24 April to 4 May with an in-person public session from 11 to 20 May in Banjul. Chaired by Commissioner Idrissa Sow, with Vice-Chairperson Hatem Essaiem, the meeting brought together a record 867 delegates, including representatives from 32 States Parties, National Human Rights Institutions, NGOs, and international partners.
During the private session, the Commission adopted critical documents, including the Implementation Plan of its 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, guidelines on state reporting for the rights of older persons and persons with disabilities, and a major study on the impact of climate change on human and peoples’ rights in Africa. It also reviewed promotion missions to Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini, as well as a joint fact-finding mission on Sudan conducted in Chad.
The Commission examined 13 communications, deciding on three merits cases, five admissibility rulings, and other procedural matters. Notably, it extended the mandate of the Joint Fact-Finding Mission on the human rights situation in Sudan through a country-specific resolution.
Four thematic resolutions were adopted, addressing the protection of human rights defenders, compliance with guidelines on freedom of association, rights of workers in the informal economy, and the development of guidelines on human rights in the context of climate change. The Commission also granted observer status to eight new NGOs, bringing the total to 600 accredited organizations.
The public session opened on 11 May at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, with high-level statements from Gambian Attorney General Dawda A. Jallow, African Union officials, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ representative, and presidents of the African Court and Pan-African Parliament.
Re-elected Commissioners Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga, Marie Louise Abomo, and Litha Musyimi Ogana were sworn in. The Commission launched commemorations for the 45th anniversary of the African Charter and the 40th anniversary of the Commission itself.
Twenty-four African states delivered national reports on their human rights situations, alongside statements from ten NHRIs and 62 NGOs. Panels tackled pressing issues, including reservations to the Maputo Protocol, sustainable water and sanitation under Agenda 2063, protection of minorities, human rights defenders, and climate-induced displacement.
The Commission reviewed state reporting compliance under Article 62, noting varying levels of overdue submissions, and considered periodic reports from the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and Kenya. It also launched a Framework Paper on lifting reservations to the Maputo Protocol.
In its closing, the ACHPR expressed deep appreciation to President Adama Barrow and the Government and people of The Gambia for their hospitality. The next sessions were scheduled: the 88th virtual private session in July and the 89th in Dakar, Senegal, in October 2026.
The session underscored the Commission’s ongoing commitment to advancing human and peoples’ rights amid contemporary challenges such as climate change, conflict, and democratic governance across Africa. All statements and documents from the session are available on the ACHPR website.
