The Banjul-based African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights concluded its 83rd Ordinary Public Session in Banjul, adopting six pivotal resolutions to strengthen human rights protections and urging Member States to implement robust measures to address environmental, economic, and social challenges. The session, held from May 2 to 22, 2025, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, marked a significant step in advancing the Commission’s mandate under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Commission, chaired by Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, adopted resolutions addressing critical issues, including environmental rights, extractive industries, the ongoing crisis in Sudan, prison conditions, economic and social rights integration, and freedom of association. These resolutions reflect the Commission’s commitment to tackling systemic challenges and promoting sustainable development across Africa.
A key resolution focused on developing a General Comment on the Protection and Promotion of the Right to the Environment in Africa. This directive urges Member States to integrate environmental protections into national policies, emphasizing sustainable development and the right to a healthy environment. The Commission recommended that states enact laws to combat ecological degradation, ensure public participation in environmental decision-making, and hold corporations accountable for ecological harm.
Another significant resolution addressed extractive industries and eliminated exploitative international economic practices. The Commission called on Member States to regulate the mining, oil, and gas sectors to prevent human rights abuses, such as forced displacements and environmental pollution. It urged governments to adopt transparent policies, conduct human rights impact assessments, and ensure fair benefit-sharing with affected communities.
The Commission also extended the mandate of the Joint Fact-Finding Mission on the Human Rights Situation in Sudan, reflecting ongoing concerns about the crisis in the region. Member States were encouraged to support the mission’s investigations, provide humanitarian access, and implement measures to protect civilians from violence and ensure accountability for human rights violations.
The Commission also extended deadlines for studies on prison conditions and integrated economic, social, and cultural rights into national development planning. These resolutions call on Member States to improve detention facilities, reduce overcrowding, and align development plans with human rights obligations to ensure access to education, healthcare, and adequate living standards.
The resolution on freedom of association and assembly compliance urged Member States to align national laws with the Commission’s Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa. It recommended legislative reforms to protect civil society organizations, ensure safe public assemblies, and prevent restrictive laws that hinder civic space.
The session also saw robust engagement from stakeholders, with 570 participants, including representatives from 28 States Parties, African Union organs, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), and 218 NGOs. Statements from 19 States Parties, including Algeria, Nigeria, and South Africa, highlighted national human rights situations, while 40 NGOs with observer status raised concerns about ongoing violations. The Commission granted observer status to seven new NGOs, bringing the total to 586, enhancing civil society collaboration.
The Commission reviewed periodic reports from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, assessing compliance with the African Charter and the Protocol on Women’s Rights in Africa. It also examined ten communications, declaring three admissible, and held an oral hearing on a case against Ethiopia, underscoring its role in addressing individual complaints.
In its recommendations, the Commission urged Member States to prioritize timely reporting, with only seven countries currently up to date. It called for increased cooperation to address overdue reports and implement recommendations from its missions and decisions. The Commission also emphasized the need for states to support their special mechanisms, including panels on violence against human rights defenders, women’s rights, and reparations for Africans and people of African descent.
Expressing gratitude to the Gambian government for hosting the session, the Commission announced that its 84th Private Ordinary Session will be held virtually from July 21 to 30, 2025. These resolutions and recommendations signal a renewed push for human rights accountability and sustainable development across Africa, urging Member States to act decisively to uphold the African Charter’s principles.
