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| Human Rights Defenders at the NGOs Forum April 25-27, 2011 (Photo Credit: M.S. Joof/TNBES) |
Human rights agencies that partake in the April 6-8, 2013 NGOs Forum
in Banjul have highlighted some of the positive and negative developments
regarding Africa’s human rights record.
The NGOs Forum usually precede the Ordinary Sessions of the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ACHPR, the 53rd of which is
hosted by The Gambia from April 9-23.
A resolution at the end of the forum on Monday noted that significant
and positive developments in the human rights and democracy situations in
Africa have been made.
It said it is worthy to applaud the improvement in the respect for
human rights, good governance and the rule of law in a lot more countries in
Africa.
Human rights defenders said the role of African Union remains crucial
in strengthening the continental framework to promote and protect human and
peoples’ rights in Africa.
They said the AU has spurred the pursuit of human rights which is
evidently a shared responsibility. The increased involvement of civil society
organizations in the consultative processes are indeed commendable and have
enhanced the partnerships in the various processes by the African people.
Negatives
In spite of these development, the Forum noted with concern that
Africa continue to face grave human rights challenges characterized by
conflict, insecurity, violence, poverty, disease, underdevelopment, internal
political strife, the taking of arms by rebel groups, arbitrary detention,
extrajudicial killing, harassment of journalists, human rights defenders, and
untold hardship meted out to the majority of citizens especially women and
children.
Globalization has brought to the fore the increased threat of
terrorism, transnational organized crimes impeding protection of human rights
and this phenomenon has not ceased to undermine even the most resilient states,
they note.
The resolution said eroding respect for observance of human rights in
many African states remains a cause for concern, including the conflict in
Mali, sexual crimes in Sudan, the Boka Haram attacks in Nigeria, and the human
rights situation in Angola, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Kenya, Sudan, Swaziland and
Zimbabwe.
Hence, the Forum urges the African Union to ensure stronger and closer
collaboration between the African Commission, the African Court and the African
Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Most African countries are reluctant to ratify and adopt the
declaration which allows NGOs access to the African Court, but the Forum renew
calls those African States to work towards the ratification, adoption of the
declaration to enhance the jurisprudence and grant the necessary access needed.
They call on the African Commission to urge states to ensure integrity
of defenders in their territory and to provide an enabling environment for
defenders to carry out their work.
They further calls on the Commission to rigorously revive its work in
this area of human rights to curb the growing wave of reprisals.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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