AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
African Commission on Human & Peoples’
Commission Africaine des Droits de
Rights
l’Homme & des Peuples
No. 31 Bijilo Annex Lay-out, Kombo North District, Western Region, P. O. Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia Tel: (220) 441
05 05 /441 05 06, Fax: (220) 441 05 04
E-mail: au-banjul@africa-union.org; Web www.achpr.org
FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 68TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN
COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
Virtual Session
14 April – 4 May 2021
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1. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) held its
68th Ordinary Session (the Session) from 14 April to 4 May 2021. The Session was held
virtually due to the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. His Excellency Bankole Adewoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and
Security at the African Union Commission (AUC), representing His Excellency
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AUC, graced the Opening Ceremony of
the Session as the guest of honour.
3. The Session was opened by Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso,
Chairperson of the Commission, who then presided over the Session with the
assistance of Honourable Commissioner Remy Ngoy Lumbu, Vice-Chairperson of the
Commission.
4. The following Members of the Commission participated in the Session:
i.
Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, Chairperson;
ii.
Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Vice-Chairperson;
iii.
Honourable Commissioner Maya Sahli-Fadel;
iv.
Honourable Commissioner Jamesina Essie L. King;
v.
Honourable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem;
vi.
Honourable Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela;
vii.
Honourable Commissioner Alexia Amesbury;
viii.
Honourable Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga; and
ix.
Honourable Commissioner Maria Louise Abomo.
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5. Honourable Commissioner NDiamé Gaye, who did not take part in the previous
Sessions due to his health status, unfortunately passed away on 11 March 2021 during
the intersessional period.
6. The Commission and all participants observed a minute of silence in his memory and
a fitting tribute was paid to him by all speakers throughout the Session. The
Commission reiterates its condolences to his family, to the People and Government of
Senegal, his country of origin, and to the entire human rights community.
7. Tribute was paid to the memory of African and human rights personalities who
passed away in the intersessional period, including Professor Christof Heyns, former
member of the Working Group on the Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary or
Arbitrary Killings in Africa, among others.
8. In the same spirit, the Commission paid tribute to and honoured the memory of
President Idris Deby Itno of the Republic of Chad who passed away while the Session
was in progress.
9. Statements were delivered during the Opening Ceremony by His Excellency Bankole
Adewoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union
Commission (AUC), representing His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson
of the AUC; Ms. Hannah Forster, Director of the African Centre for Democracy and
Human Rights Studies, representing the Steering Committee of the Forum of NGOs;
Dr. Elasto Hilarious Mugwadi, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights
Commission and Vice-Chairperson of the Network of African National Human Rights
Institutions, representing the Network; His Excellency Eamon Gilmore, European
Union Special Representative for Human Rights; Her Excellency Michèle Bachelet,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in a pre-recorded video;
Honourable Ndayisenga Joseph, Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on
the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Honourable Justice Sylvain Oré, President of the
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; His Excellency Momodou Tangara,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia, on behalf of all States
Parties, in a pre-recorded video; and Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele
Dersso, Chairperson of the Commission.
10. In his opening statement delivered on behalf of His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat,
Chairperson of the AUC, His Excellency Bankole Adewoye commended the multiple
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efforts made by the Commission to address and respond to human rights issues
despite the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has adverse effects on
human rights.
11. He welcomed the various innovations of Member States in the area of human and
peoples’ rights, including the operationalisation of the National Human Rights
Commission of The Gambia by the government.
12. For the Representative of the Chairperson of the AUC, the African human rights
system has come of age. It is comprehensive and all-encompassing in its mandate and
its objectives as it focuses on all possible aspects of human rights; the content and
scope of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights are a telling example.
13. He further highlighted the relevance of the African Union’s 2021 theme to the mission
of the Commission and informed the assembly that every effort is being made to
mobilise all necessary resources to operationalise the African Union Human Rights
Memorial (AUHRM). He added that the Memorial project will not only help to
preserve some of Africa’s human rights heritage, but will also serve as awareness
creation against human rights abuses among the youth and the future generation.
14. In conclusion, he reiterated that the promotion and protection of human rights is a
collective responsibility. Therefore, a synergy of actions is imperative in order to
promote and protect human rights, particularly in Africa’s cultural practices, art
promotion and heritage.
15. In her statement, Ms. Hannah Foster provided a summary of the proceedings of the
Forum of NGOs held prior to this 68th Ordinary Session and expressed satisfaction at
the quality of the deliberations which resulted in the adoption of two Resolutions and
five recommendations submitted to the Commission. She indicated that the theme of
the Forum of NGOs “The Africa we want: the role of Arts, Culture and Heritage in the
realization of Human Rights in a post-Covid-19 Environment” was selected in a bid to
contribute to the discussion on the African Union theme for 2021 “Arts, Culture and
Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want” while identifying strategies to
mitigate the harmful effects of the pandemic, which is still active and increasingly
virulent on the African continent.
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16. She also provided an overview of major positive and negative developments relating
to the human rights situation on the continent and highlighted the need to look ahead
to the post-health crisis era when formulating solutions to human rights challenges.
She took the opportunity to call on States and non-State actors to make the COVID-19
vaccine a universal public good, in the absence of which, the most vulnerable would
be discriminated in terms of access to the vaccine.
17. Finally, in addition to this recommendation and in the light of ongoing violent crisis
situations on the continent such as the one in Tigray, Ethiopia, she urged the
Commission to call on the Member States of the African Union to never allow a
repetition of atrocities such as the Rwandan genocide. She called on the Commission
to encourage States to submit their periodic reports in a timely manner in accordance
with Article 62 of the Charter, to ratify human rights instruments that have not yet
been ratified, and to ensure that these treaties are effectively integrated into the
internal legal systems of the States.
18. In his address, Dr. Elasto Hilarious Mugwadi recalled that the 68th Ordinary Session
was being held exactly 27 years since the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda, with all its
atrocities, and stressed that all measures should be taken to prevent a repeat in Africa
or anywhere else of similar tragedies.
19. He stated that this Session was an opportunity for NANHRI, a regional body of
national human rights institutions, to evaluate the progress made and identify gaps
as well as ways of working together towards achieving the overall goal of ensuring
the full realisation of human rights.
20. After commending the Commission for giving centre stage to matters relating to the
rights of women on the agenda of the 68th Session, Dr. Mugwadi informed the
audience that NANHRI held its Second NHRI Forum on 8 and 9 April 2021 during
which the role of NHRIs in promoting the realization of the rights of indigenous
women in Africa was discussed. The Forum noted that Africa does not necessarily
lack the legal instruments required for the promotion and protection of women’s
rights, but that their effective implementation was lacking. Dr. Mugwadi stated that
this was why women across the continent are facing numerous challenges, while
indigenous women bear the brunt of such challenges because of their vulnerability.
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21. Dr. Mugwadi expressed NANHRI’s concern about the deteriorating human rights
situation on the continent, in particular, the upsurge in armed conflicts and the
intensification of terrorist activities across Africa.
22. He also indicated that the situation has been further exacerbated by the current health
crisis, which has resulted in the restriction of the movements of State and non-State
human rights actors. While stressing the importance of collaboration between these
two actors in order to build an Africa of peace and prosperity by curbing the
phenomenon of impunity which is at the forefront of State action, Dr. Mugwadi
indicated that NANHRI has developed a number of mechanisms and tools to address
reprisals, and urged technical and financial partners to support NANHRI in ensuring
their implementation. He took the opportunity to call on States to support NHRIs in
delivering their mandate and also allow other non-State actors to play their role for
the realisation of human rights.
23. He concluded by reaffirming NANHRI’s commitment to work in collaboration with
the Commission and other organs of the African Union towards an Africa that builds
its future by empowering its women and girls.
24. In his address, Mr Eamon Gilmore emphasised that the African Union and the
European Union share the same values and objectives and recalled the strong
relationship that exists between the two institutions in the area of human rights and
democracy.
25. Mr Eamon Gilmore then underscored the impact of the pandemic on the activities of
human rights actors and listed some of the violations that, in his opinion, had been
amplified by the pandemic. He indicated that human rights must be kept at the heart
in the response to the pandemic, as discussed at the Human Rights Dialogue held in
December 2020.
26. Mr Eamon Gilmore also highlighted the adoption of certain mechanisms within the
European system to reinforce the protection of human rights, before pointing out that
he has been working with the relevant actors to address the humanitarian crisis and
the human rights situation in the Sahel region and in Ethiopia. He noted the
importance of the Commission’s decision to conduct an enquiry into alleged human
rights violations in Tigray.
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27. Mr Gilmore concluded by recalling that respect for human rights is not a political
choice for States, but a legal obligation rooted in international and regional human
rights instruments, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He
expressed hope that the 40th anniversary of the Charter would be a year when
renewed commitment to human rights is made and human rights are fully realised
for all human beings, with no discrimination based on any grounds in Africa, in
Europe and around the world.
28. In her statement, Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet indicated that her Office shares the
vision of Agenda 2063 and values its partnership with the Commission as manifested
in the joint Memorandum of Understanding.
29. H.E. Michelle Bachelet recalled the challenges posed by the pandemic to human rights
protection and highlighted some of the human rights violations resulting from the
enforcement of Covid-19 restrictive measures.
30. While acknowledging the dedication shown by the scientific and medical
communities, and those funding scientific research, to fast-track the development of
vaccines against the pandemic, she advocated for international solidarity towards a
global and coordinated effort to ensure access to vaccines for all who need them.
31. She underlined the relevance of the African Union’s theme for the year 2021, stating
that artistic and creative expression is part of freedom of expression and must be
protected from any form of pressure, intimidation or censorship, including during the
current pandemic. She also stressed that the right to participate in cultural life without
discrimination and to artistic and scientific freedoms are guaranteed by international
law, and that the neglect, damage, falsification and destruction of cultural heritage,
especially in times of crisis, affect human rights.
32. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also mentioned the work of the
Second NHRI Forum and the NGO Forum as important in the reflections on the
objectives of the African Union’s 2021 theme; the respective themes of these two
events are highly illustrative in this regard.
33. Ms. Michelle Bachelet concluded her remarks by congratulating the Commission and
reaffirming the availability of her Office for any form of collaboration.
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34. Honourable Joseph Ndayisenga began his address by reaffirming the
complementarity of the three human rights bodies, including the need for
collaboration to ensure implementation of their decisions by Member States of the
African Union.
35. Regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rights of the Child in
particular, he stated that child abuse and neglect have worsened during the period to
the extent that the various measures adopted to curb the spread of the virus have
been, and still are, more detrimental to children than to any other segment of the
population. He indicated that the Committee has developed Guiding Notes for States
on measures to be taken to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on children
and ensure that all measures are tailored to the needs of children. The Committee is
currently in the process of preparing a continent-wide study on the impact of Covid19 on the rights and welfare of children in Africa. The study will also assess the impact
of the pandemic on achieving the aspirations of the 2040 Agenda for the Rights of the
Child in Africa.
36. He further informed the participants that the Committee, in collaboration with the
Commission, intends to prepare a General Comment on Article 21 of the African
Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child this year in a bid to provide all Member
States of the African Union with guidance on the implementation of the various
provisions of their legal instruments.
37. He reminded the assembly that the Committee has developed guidelines for granting
affiliate status to National Human Rights Institutions and is awaiting to receive the
first applications.
38. He announced that four Working Groups have been established to contribute to the
work of the Committee in collaboration with the relevant Special Mechanisms of the
Commission.
39. Furthermore, he informed the assembly that the Secretariat of the Committee has
relocated and now operates from Maseru in the Kingdom of Lesotho.
40. The Chairperson of the Committee concluded his address by urging the five (5) States
that are yet to ratify the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to do
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so, and those that have made reservations to withdraw them and thus ensure that all
children in Africa benefit from the full and complete protection of the Charter.
41. Honourable Justice Sylvain Oré, President of the African Court on Human and
Peoples’ Rights began his statement by commending the efforts made by the
Commission in the implementation of its programmes and projects despite the
multiple restrictions due to the persisting COVID-19 pandemic, during which human
rights are being sorely tested.
42. In light of these numerous challenges, the role of institutions or organs in charge of
the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights has never been more
crucial. In this regard, he underscored the importance of cooperation and close
collaboration between States, African Union organs with a human rights mandate,
Non-Governmental Organisations and National Human Rights Institutions because
the effectiveness of strategies and mechanisms to be implemented depends on this
synergy of actions.
43. He further stated that the African Court will seize the opportunity afforded by the
commemoration of its Fifteenth anniversary this year and the adoption of its 20212025 Strategic Plan to embark on a vast programme aimed at consolidating its actions.
44. He also called on the Court and the Commission to spare no effort in strengthening
and enhancing the effectiveness of their relationship of complementarity. According
to him, this call for complementarity reflects the aspirations of thousands of citizens
who wish to take advantage of the provisions of the Protocol so as to bring cases
before the Court against States which have not made the declaration accepting the
competence of the Court to hear cases filed directly by individuals and NGOs.
45. He concluded his address by insisting on this much-needed solidarity between these
two organs.
46. In his statement on behalf of the Member States of the African Union, His Excellency
Dr Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and
Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia highlighted the positive results
achieved by African States in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in spite of the
enormous challenges, including the scarcity of financial resources. However, the issue
of access to vaccines and treatment is a real problem for Africa.
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47. He stated that despite the persisting challenges faced by States Parties in fulfilling
their obligations under the Charter and other relevant instruments, as outlined by the
67th Ordinary Session, States Parties are steadfast in their commitment to promote and
protect human rights in collaboration with the Commission. The Minister reminded
the participants of these challenges which include: High rise of unemployment and
lower living standards leading to increase in extreme poverty and starvation; Increase
in violent armed conflicts and socio-political and governance crises; Continued
prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence; Continued unlawful use of the
armed and security forces in violating human and peoples’ rights in all aspects and
forms; and Prevalence of corruption and poor governance systems.
48. He took the opportunity to commend the Commission for its guidance and
recommendations to States Parties. In this regard, he reiterated the willingness to
satisfactorily implement the recommendations and decisions of the Commission and
the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in close consultation and
collaboration with these two organs.
49. With regard to human rights issues in his country, The Gambia, the Minister provided
an update on the management of the pandemic and indicated that the COVID-19
vaccination programme is effectively underway. He cited the progress made in terms
of the transitional justice process, the legal reforms that should considerably improve
the human rights situation in the country, including the Constitutional review and the
operationalisation of the National Human Rights Commission.
50. In conclusion, he expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the States Parties to all the
Commissioners and other members of the Commission for their tireless and
invaluable efforts in advancing human and peoples’ rights across the African
continent, with the ultimate goal of creating a just, developed and peaceful
environment for all.
51. In his opening address, Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso began by
pointing out that the 68th Session coincided with the commemoration of 27 years since
the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda, and he took the opportunity to pay respect to
those who were killed and express solidarity with the survivors. He also expressed
hope that the lesson learned from this tragedy will compel the vigilance and
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mobilisation of all against any action that could lead to the recurrence of such
atrocities.
52. Honourable Commissioner Dersso then went on to address the health situation on the
continent. He stated that the situation is becoming increasingly alarming, as the
continent begins to face more contagious and harder to detect strains of the virus, in
an already fragile health care system. He underscored that, while the impact of the
pandemic on the right to health is quite clear, it also has ramifications for other human
rights. In this regard, he listed some of the socio-economic effects of the health crisis
on the lives of people, and pointed to the fact that the pandemic has exacerbated
already existing inequalities and disproportionately affected vulnerable groups.
53. He thus took the opportunity to call on States to respect the principles and values
espoused in Resolution 449 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
which serve as a fundamental pillar for a successful response to the COVID-19
pandemic and recovery from its socio-political impacts. The Resolution provides
comprehensive standards and principles on how States should ensure that their
responses to the pandemic are guided by and respectful of the rights and freedoms
enshrined in the African Charter. He placed emphasis on the issue of equitable access
to the vaccine by African countries and the need to take steps to ensure that
production and distribution of the vaccine takes place on the continent.
54. With regard to violence on the continent, Commissioner Dersso pointed out that the
Commission has received reports on human rights situations of concern, including
terrorist attacks in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique as well as situations of
violence in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,
South Sudan and Sudan and other human rights violations throughout the continent.
55. Honourable Commissioner Dersso highlighted the positive human rights
developments that have taken place on the continent during the intersessional period.
In this regard, he welcomed the decision of the Republic of South Sudan to establish
a transitional justice institution, the peace process in the State of Libya, and the
decision of the Republic of Kenya to grant citizenship to members of the Shona
community and stateless persons of Rwandan origin. He also congratulated the
Republic of Niger for its first peaceful transfer of power and for strongly condemning
the coup attempt, and the Republics of Djibouti, Benin and Chad for holding peaceful
elections. The peaceful transfer of power in Tanzania and the establishment and
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operationalisation of the National Human Rights Commission of The Gambia were
also commended.
56. Recalling that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Charter, Commissioner
Dersso called on States Parties, the African Court, the African Committee of Experts,
NHRIs and CSOs to use this 40th anniversary as an opportunity for organising events
in order to draw attention to the steps that should be taken to bridge the gap between
the promises of the African Charter and the actual realities of the peoples of our
continent.
57. After explaining the rationale behind the African Union’s theme of the year,
Commissioner Dersso urged Africans to join the call and fight for the promotion and
restoration of the right of Africans to access and enjoy their cultural and historical
heritage.
58. Before declaring open the 68th Ordinary Session, he commended CSOs for convening
the NGO Forum and NHRIs for holding the 2nd Forum of NHRIs on participation in
the work of the Commission, and invited delegates from States, CSOs and NHRIs to
actively participate in the deliberations for the success of this Session.
59. A total of four hundred and fifty-four (454) delegates attended the Session, including:
seventy-two (72) representing fifteen (15) States Parties; six (6) representing AU
Organs; forty-four (44) representing NHRIs; four (4) representing international and
intergovernmental organisations; one hundred and ninety-six (196) representing
African and international NGOs; and thirty-eight (38) representing other observers,
two (2) of whom were from the media.
60. Representatives of the following eight (8) States Parties made statements on the
human rights situation in their respective countries, namely: People’s Democratic
Republic of Algeria, Republic of Angola, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Eritrea,
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Malawi, United Republic of
Tanzania, and Republic of Mozambique.
61. Representatives of seven (7) NHRIs made statements on the human rights situation
in their respective countries, namely: Algeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mali, Rwanda,
Sahrawi, and Zambia.
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62. One (1) international organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross,
made a statement on the human rights situation in Africa.
63. Twenty-nine (29) NGOs that have Observer Status with the Commission made
statements on the human rights situation in Africa.
64. Algeria and Burundi exercised their right of reply.
65. The Commission launched the following documents:
i.
9th Newsletter of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa; and
ii.
Guidelines on the Right to Water in Africa and drafting of General
Comments on the role of non-State actors in the delivery of social services.
66. Several panel discussions on various themes were organised during the Session with
a view to strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights on the
continent. These included:
i.
Panel on the drafting of the proposed General Comment on Article 23 of
the African Charter;
ii.
Joint Panel on Violence against Women in Vulnerable Situations;
iii.
Panel on Abuses against Migrants: The Addis Ababa Roadmap;
iv.
Panel on Human Rights Aspects of Arts, Culture and Heritage; and
v.
Panel on Human Rights Defenders and Reprisals in Africa.
67. The Commission reported on the status of its relationship and cooperation with
NHRIs and NGOs, and provided an update on the status of submission of activity
reports by NHRIs and NGOs.
68. Since the adoption of its Resolution on the Granting of Affiliate Status to NHRIs and
specialised human rights institutions in Africa, the Commission has granted thirty
(30) affiliate statuses to NHRIs and specialised institutions. Given that no application
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for affiliate status was received for consideration at this Session, these statistics remain
unchanged.
69. In accordance with its Resolution on the Criteria for Granting and Maintaining
Observer Status to Human Rights NGOs in Africa, the Commission granted Observer
Status to seven (7) NGOs, namely:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
SOS Information Juridique Multisectorielle (SOS IJM);
Plataforma Mulheres em Acão (PMA);
Associacao Observatorio de Politicas Publicas da Perspective de Genero
(ASSOGE);
Akina Mama wa Afrika;
Association of Egyptian Female Lawyers (AEFL);
Association des Utilisateurs des Technologies de l’Information et de la
Communication (ASUTIC); and
Changement Social Benin (CSB).
70. This brings the total number of NGOs, which have Observer Status with the
Commission, to five hundred and thirty-five (535).
71. The Commission provided an update on the status of submission of Periodic Reports
by States Parties.
72. In accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter, the Commission considered the
Periodic Reports of the following States Parties:
i.
The Second and Third Combined Periodic Reports of the Republic of
Malawi under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the
Second Report under the Protocol of the African Charter on the Rights of
Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol); and
ii.
The Fifteenth Periodic Report of the Republic of Niger under the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
73. The following members of the Commission presented their intersession reports
highlighting the activities undertaken in their capacity as Commissioners,
Commissioner Rapporteurs and mandate holders of Special Mechanisms:
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i.
The Chairperson reporting on his activities as Chairperson of the
Commission and of the Bureau;
ii.
The Chairperson of the Working Group on Extractive Industries,
Environment and Human Rights Violations in Africa;
iii.
The Vice-Chairperson of the Commission and Special Rapporteur on
Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa;
iv.
The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa;
v.
The Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally-Displaced
Persons and Migrants in Africa;
vi.
The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to
Information in Africa;
vii.
The Chairperson of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa;
viii.
The Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing
in Africa;
ix.
The
Chairperson
of
the
Working
Populations/Communities in Africa;
x.
The Chairperson of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People
Living with HIV and those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV;
xi.
The Chairperson of the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights in Africa;
xii.
The Chairperson of the Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons and
People with Disabilities in Africa;
xiii.
The Chairperson of the Working Group on the Death Penalty, Extrajudicial,
Summary or Arbitrary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Africa; and
xiv.
The Chairperson of the Working Group on Communications.
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Group
on
Indigenous
74. Presentation of these Reports generated reactions, contributions and questions from
State Delegates and Civil Society Organisations.
75. During its private Session, the Commission considered and adopted the following
documents, after amendment:
i.
Report of the Promotion Mission to Botswana;
ii.
Concluding Observations on the Periodic Report of the Kingdom of
Lesotho; and
Report of the Working Group on Communications.
iii.
76. The Commission considered the following reports:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Report on Follow-up Actions from the 67th Ordinary Session, 30th
Extraordinary Session and 31st Extraordinary Session;
Update on Status of Finalisation of Promotion Mission Reports and
Concluding Observations;
Report of the Secretary to the Commission;
Report on the Audit of Communications; and
Report of the Chairperson of the ACBSM.
77. The Commission discussed the fact-finding mission to the Tigray Region in Ethiopia
and provided the Secretariat with guidance for the effective conduct of this activity,
subject to the formal authorisation of the Ethiopian Government which is still
pending.
78. The Commission considered five (5) Communications as follows:
i.
Two (2) Communications on the Merits, out of which the Commission
adopted a decision on one; and
ii.
Three (3) Communications on Admissibility, of which two (2) were
declared admissible and one (1) inadmissible.
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79. The Commission also identified Communications for which decisions on the Merits
and on Admissibility are currently being drafted for consideration at the 32 nd
Extraordinary Session and 69th Ordinary Session.
80. The Commission adopted the following six (6) Resolutions:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Resolution on the conduct of a study on the impact of COVID-19 on
Indigenous Peoples/Communities in Africa;
Resolution on military instability in northern Mozambique;
Resolution on the Human Rights Situation in Niger;
Resolution on the Human Rights Situation in Benin;
Resolution on the reassignment of Country Rapporteur and Special
Mechanism mandates among the Commissioners; and
Resolution on the need for a study on African responses to migration and
the protection of migrants in a bid to develop guidelines on the rights of
migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
81. The Commission considered and adopted its 50th Activity Report.
82. The Commission decided to hold its 32nd Extraordinary Session virtually from 12 to
26 July 2021. Details of the next Ordinary Session will be made available on the
Commission’s website in due course.
83. The Commission expresses its sincere gratitude to States Parties, international
organisations, NHRIs, NGOs and all stakeholders who participated in this third
virtual Ordinary Session.
84. The Closing Ceremony of the 68th Ordinary Session took place virtually on 4 May
2021.
Done on 4 May 2021
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