Webinar: Civil society experiences on the shadow reporting mechanism of the African Commission

On 20 August 2020, the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, the Human Rights Institute of South Africa, DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights and the Global Rainbow Foundation (Mauritius) hosted a webinar on civil society experiences on the shadow reporting mechanism of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The webinar provided the opportunity to learn about the experiences of civil society organisations in using the shadow report mechanism for promoting human rights at national levels, especially in the absence of civil society reporting guidelines on shadow reporting to the African Commission.

Theme: Civil society experiences on the shadow reporting mechanism of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Chair: Ms Alice Mogwe
Director, DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights

Panellists:

• Professor Frans Viljoen
Director, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (UP)
Welcome and Introduction to the state reporting procedure and shadow reporting
• Ms Patience Mungwari Mpani
Manager, Women’s Rights Unit, Centre for Human Rights, UP
State reporting, challenges and prospects and the role of civil society
• Mr Armoogum Parsuramen
Founder President, Global Rainbow Foundation
Experience and highlights about the development of the Mauritius shadow report
• Ms Nora Ho Tu Nam
Independent Consultant
The process of writing the Mauritius Shadow report
• Ms Corlett Letlojane
Executive Director, Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA)
Shadow Report Guidelines, Way Forward and Next Steps

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, is a Continental human rights body entrusted by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to promote and protect human rights in Africa. Article 45 (c) of the African Charter strengthen the Commission mandate to cooperate with African and international institutions concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights. The ACHPR Rules of Procedure 74/75 enhances CSOs’ cooperation relations with the African Commission.

The Commission has over the years developed mechanisms for CSOs enjoyment of this relationship. These have advanced various opportunities, including contribution on agenda items, attending sessions, research, capacity building on the African system of human rights, such as institution of a communication procedure and drafting of CSO Shadow reports. These processes are creating vibrant space for CSO constructive engagement with the Commission concerning human rights on the African Continent.

The State periodic reporting is an imperative duty set under Article 62 of the African Charter and Article 26 of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) for State Parties to demonstrate the steps taken in compliance with the African Charter and the Maputo Protocol. During its 66th Ordinary Session (13 July to 17 August 2020) the African Commission examined was highlighted by the examination of a list of state party reports, which included a the 9th to 10th Combined Periodic Report (2016 - 2019) of the Republic of Mauritius.

DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights and The Global Rainbow Foundation (Mauritius) jointly submitted a shadow report to the African Commission, with the aim of contributing relevant information to assist with an objective examination of the Mauritius State report.

This webinar provides the opportunity to learn about the experiences of civil society organisations in using the shadow report mechanism for promoting human rights at national levels, especially in the absence of civil society reporting guidelines on shadow reporting to the African Commission. CSOs shadow reporting guidelines are set to provide a uniform reporting structure for enhancement of the content provided by CSOs and this is a major premise of the African Commission’s Resolution 436 adopted during its 27th Extra Ordinary Session held from 19 February - 4 March 2020 in Banjul, The Gambia. This resolution mandates the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrant in Africa to develop these Guidelines on Shadow Reporting.

It is based on this background that we convene this webinar to unpack the objective and experiences in submission of the CSO Shadow Reports to influence the content of the guidelines on shadow reporting.

For more information, please visit www.chr.up.ac.za