HURISA - African Union Decisions on the African Court

DECISIONS OF THE AFRICAN UNION RELATING TO THE AFRICAN COURT

DECISION ON THE SINGLE LEGAL INSTRUMENT ON THE MERGER OF THE AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS AND THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE AFRICAN UNION

DOC. EX.CL/253(IX)

The Executive Council:

1. TAKES NOTE of the Report

2. ALSO TAKES NOTE of the Recommendations of the joint meeting of the PRC and Legal Experts from Member States held from 15^th to 19^th May 2006, at the Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;

3. DECIDES, in conformity with Rule 5(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Council, to refer the said legal instruments to a meeting for Ministers of Justice and Attorney Generals from Member States for finalisation and submission of a report to the next Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, in January 2007;

4. AUTHORISES the expenditure for the meeting and REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to provide the necessary assistance and support to the meeting.

DECISION ON THE AFRICAN COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD

DOC. EX.CL/275 (IX)

The Executive Council:

1. TAKES NOTE of the report;

2. TAKES NOTE WITH SATISFACTION of the efforts of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Committee) in the popularization of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (African Charter) and CALLS ON the Committee to start considering reports received from State Parties;

3. EXPRESSES concern about the continued challenges facing children on the continent, in particular, the orphans and vulnerable children;

4. APPEALS to Member States, which have not yet done so, to expedite the ratification process of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and implement its provisions;

5. URGES Member States to give particular attention to children in their development policies and programmes and commit themselves to attain the Agenda of an "Africa Fit for Children";

6. CALLS ON the Committee to collaborate with the Commission in the convening of the Mid-Term Review Meeting to assess the implementation of the African Common Position on Children scheduled for the last quarter of 2006;

7. APPEALS to Member States to provide moral, technical and financial support to the Committee;

8. URGES the Commission to continue to support the Committee and strengthen its capacity to enable it function more effectively.

DECISION ON THE STRENGTHENING OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS

DOC. EX.CL/279(IX)

The Executive Council:

1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;

2. ALSO TAKES NOTE of the holding in Banjul, The Gambia, in May 2006, of the brainstorming session on the strengthening of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and of the consultations held on this issue between policy organs with competence in the promotion and protection of human rights, and STRESSES the need to strengthen the ACHPR;

3. REAFFIRMS the primordial role the ACHPR plays in promoting and protecting human rights in the continent, and INVITES Member States to continue lending the ACHPR total support in the accomplishment of its mission and STRESSES the need for closer collaboration between various policy organs with competence in human rights as well as with national human rights bodies;

4. REQUESTS the ACHPR to establish close collaboration ties with the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights;

5. AVAILS ITSELF of the celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of the ACHPR to pay tribute to it and congratulate it on the immense work it has accomplished in fostering respect for human rights in Africa.

DECISION ON the activity report of the African Commission on human and peoples' rights (AChpr)

Doc.ex.cl/279(IX)

The Executive Council:

1. adopts and, in conformity with Article 59 the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Charter), AUTHORIZES the publication of the 20^th Activity Report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) and the Annexes with the exception of decision 245 on Zimbabwe;

2. INVITES Zimbabwe to communicate to the ACHPR, within two (2) months following the adoption of this decision, its observations on the said decision, and ACHPR to submit a report thereon at the next Ordinary Session of the Executive Council;

3. ALSO INVITES Member States to communicate within two (2) months following the reception of ACHPR notification, their observations on the decisions that ACHPR is to submit to the Executive Council and /or the Assembly;

4. URGES Member States to ratify, if they have not yet done so, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights Relating to the Rights of Women in Africa which entered into force on 25 November 2005;

5. EMPHASIZES the need for the Commission to allocate adequate human and financial resources to the ACHPR as provided for in Article 41 of the African Charter to enable it to successfully carry out its mandate in accordance with the provisions of the African Charter;

6. URGES Member States which have not yet done so, to submit and present their initial/periodic reports to the ACHPR in keeping with Article 62 of the African Charter and REQUESTS the ACHPR to complete, as early as possible, the brainstorming it has initiated on its relations with the various organs and institutions of the African Union, including the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, and submit appropriate recommendations to Council in January 2007;

7. REQUESTS the ACHPR to participate actively in the process for the effective establishment of the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights and cooperate fully with this new institution.

Related topics: