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The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) is a quasi-judicial body tasked with promoting and protecting human rights and collective (peoples') rights throughout the African continent as well as interpreting the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and considering individual complaints of violations of the Charter.
The Commission came into existence with the coming into force, on 21 October 1986, of the African Charter (adopted by the OAU on 27 June 1981). Although its authority rests on its own treaty, the African Charter, the Commission reports to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (formerly the Organisation of African Unity(OAU). Its first members were elected by the OAU's 23rd Assembly of Heads of State and Government in June 1987 and the Commission was formally installed for the first time on 2 November of that year. For the first two years of its existence, the Commission was based at the OAU Secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but in November 1989 it relocated to Banjul, Gambia. (NB: The ACHPR should be distinguished from the African Union Commission, as the OAU Secretariat has been renamed since the creation of the African Union.)
The Commission meets twice a year: usually in March or April and in October or November. One of these meetings is usually in Banjul, where the Commission's secretariat is located; the other may be in any African state.
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The ACHPR is made up of eleven members, elected by secret ballot at the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government (subsequently, by the AU's Assembly). These members, who serve six-year renewable terms, are "chosen from amongst African personalities of the highest reputation, known for their high morality, integrity, impartiality and competence in matters of human and peoples' rights" (Charter, Article 31) and, in selecting these personalities, particular consideration is given "to persons having legal experience".
The members are to enjoy full independence in discharging their duties and serve on a personal basis (i.e., not representing their home states); however, no member state may have more than one of its nationals on the Commission at any given time. The members choose, from among their own number, a chairperson and a Vice Chairperson, who each serve two-year renewable terms.
| Name | Country of Origin | Position | Elected | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Dupe Atoki | Nigeria | Chairperson | 2011 | 2013 |
| Reine Alapini-Gansou | Benin | 2005 | 2011 | |
| Mumba Malila | Zambia | Vice Chairperson | 2005 | 2011 |
| Musa Ngary Bitaye | The Gambia | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Faith Pansy Tlakula | South Africa | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi | Rwanda | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Soyata Maiga | Mali | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Yeung Kam John Yeung Sik Yuen | Mauritius | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Lucy Asuagbor | Cameroon | Member | 2010 | 2016 |
| Mohamed Khalfallah | Tunisia | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
| Mohamed Fayek | Egypt | Member | 2005 | 2011 |
The Commission has three broad areas of responsibility:
In pursuit of these goals, the Commission is mandated to "collect documents, undertake studies and researches on African problems in the field of human and peoples, rights, organise seminars, symposia and conferences, disseminate information, encourage national and local institutions concerned with human and peoples' rights and, should the case arise, give its views or make recommendations to governments" (Charter, Art. 45).
With the creation of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (under a protocol to the Charter which was adopted in 1998 and entered into force in January 2004), the Commission will have the additional task of preparing cases for submission to the Court's jurisdiction. In a July 2004 decision, the AU Assembly resolved that the future Court on Human and Peoples' Rights would be integrated with the African Court of Justice. In 2011, the commission has broughts before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights a case against Libya.
The Commission has six Special Mechanisms, or Special Rapporteurs, that address specific human rights issues:
These rapporteurs are highly regarded experts in their field who monitor, investigate and report on allegations of violations in member states of the African Union.
There are five Working Groups that monitor and investigate various issues under the purview of the Commission:
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