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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

NGO Forum, Human Rights Book Fair Slated for May


Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the 47th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the 21st African Human Rights Book Fair is scheduled to take place from 8th to 10th May 2010 in Banjul, The Gambia.

The forum being the brainchild of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, in collaboration with the African Commission is one of the main advocacy tools that the Centre uses to promote networking among Human Rights NGOs, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.

The main objectives of the Forum are to foster closer collaboration and co-operation among NGOs, and with the African Commission for promotion and protection human rights in Africa; to provide a discussion platform for organizations working on democracy and human rights issues in the continent; and to promote inter-regional/organizational networking for the implementation of decisions of the Forum as contained in the ACHPR Communiqué.

“The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) is an independent  non-governmental pan-African organisation, established in The Gambia since 1989 and since its inception, the Centre has been playing a central role in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy in Africa,
through the media of capacity building, networking, action-oriented research, publication and documentation,” a statement from the Centre said.

The Forum, which is usually held in collaboration with the African Commission and other human rights organizations, facilitates the participation of civil society organizations, academicians and other professionals from Africa and beyond in the African Commission's sessions.

According to ACHDRS, the last Forum held in Banjul, The Gambia in November, 2009 was a resounding success with 150 participants, coming from civil society organization and NGOs in Africa and beyond, inter-state organizations, the academia, and so on.

The Forum, traditionally hosted by the African Centre, will deliberate generally on the human rights situation in Africa in general and attempt to bring to the fore specific situations that need to be highlighted in order to attract the attention of the African Commission in particular and the international community and other concerned bodies.

The ACDHRS will also organize the 21st African Human Rights Book Fair during the Forum and the public sessions of the Commission, to enable NGOs network and initiate or renew, the exchange of materials and information, as well as to publicize their activities.

The proposed topics to be discussed at the NGO Forum include Human Rights and Democracy Situation in Africa; Protocol on Women's Rights in Africa and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa; Beijing Plus 15 Review meeting; Human Rights Strategy for Africa; Durban Review Conference Against
Discrimination, Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Criminal Court; Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa; Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Human Rights Defenders in Africa; Networking for
Human Rights; and Climate Change and Human Rights

The Forum will also be conducted in both English and French with simultaneous interpretation facilities.

“The Resource persons for the Forum are usually eminent activists and experts dealing with democracy and human rights issues in Africa,” The Voice Newspaper gathers. VOL:2 ISSN 151

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