DECISION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION
ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE’S RIGHTS (ACHPR)
Doc. EX.CL/938(XXVIII)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Thirty-Ninth (39th) Activity Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR);
2. AUTHORIZES the publication of the Thirty-Ninth (39th ) Activity Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR);
3. WELCOMES the positive developments undertaken by Member States to improve the human rights situation in their respective countries;
4. URGES Member States in which challenges have been identified to take the necessary measures to promote and protect human rights;
5. ENCOURAGES Member States to sign, ratify, domesticate and implement all regional and international human rights instruments;
6. URGES Member States to take the necessary measures to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards putting an end to terrorism in Africa;
7. REQUESTS the ACHPR to review the criteria for granting observer status to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as representation before the ACHPR by non-African individuals and groups and to report, through the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), to the next ordinary Session scheduled for July 2016;
8. CALLS ON Member States to take action to address in their respective countries, the areas of concern that are highlighted in the Activity Report of the ACHPR;
9. COMMENDS Member States that have submitted their Periodic Reports in accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and Article 26 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003 Maputo Protocol) and URGES the other Member States to do so;
10. APPEALS to the Government of Burundi to authorise and facilitate the fact- finding mission on the human rights situation in Burundi, in accordance with the relevant African Union Peace and Security Council decisions;
11. URGES Member States to engage with the ACHPR and other AU human rights promotion and protection Organs towards organising, in their respective countries, activities to mark the celebration of 2016 which has been declared “African Year of Human Rights with Particular Focus on the Rights of Women”;
12. REQUESTS the Commission to expedite the on-going recruitment for various positions at the ACHPR Secretariat and to consider recruiting for the remaining positions to enable the ACHPR to effectively carry out its mandate;
13. TAKES NOTE of the establishment of an Inter-ministerial Committee on the Construction of the ACHPR Headquarters and CALLS ON the Government of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia to expedite the process;
14. REQUESTS ACHPR to build the capacity and strengthen local human rights organisations;
15. COMMENDS the Islamic Republic of The Gambia for hosting the 57th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, and TAKES NOTE of the offer by the Republic of Niger to host a future Session and CALLS ON Member States, in particular those that have not yet done so, to host one of the Sessions of the ACHPR;
16. REQUESTS the ACHPR to report on the implementation of this decision at the ordinary session of the Executive Council scheduled for January 2017.