The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights : the system in practice, 1986-2006

The African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights came into force in 1986, and is unique in that it lacks a precedent. However, little scholarship exists analysing it as an operational system in practice. The success of the first edition of this book led to this updated 2008 second edition. Contributors include experts who have been actively involved in the implementation of the Charter - commissioners, NGOs and academics. Offering a detailed evaluation of the Charter as a mechanism for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa, the contributions cover the Charter's reporting system, the interpretation of different rights by the Commission, the prospects for the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and the role of NGOs. This authoritative and comprehensive volume will interest lawyers acting for government and non-governmental organisations, as well as academics and postgraduates. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Contributors......Page 9 Table of Cases......Page 14 Abbreviations......Page 23 Editors’ Preface......Page 25 The process of the elaboration and adoption of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights......Page 29 Creation and composition......Page 36 Organisation......Page 38 Seat......Page 39 Secretariat......Page 40 Sessions......Page 44 Conclusion......Page 47 Introduction......Page 48 The primacy of human rights and democratic principles......Page 49 The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Fatally Flawed?......Page 52 The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights......Page 62 The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights – a troubled relationship?......Page 68 Protocols additional to the African Charter......Page 72 The African Charter in light of the African Union......Page 73 Conclusion......Page 75 2 The State Reporting Mechanism of the African Charter......Page 77 The objectives of the reporting procedure under the African Charter......Page 78 The practice concerning the reporting obligation under the African Charter......Page 80 The content of State reports......Page 85 Reports under the reporting guidelines......Page 87 The amendment to the Guidelines......Page 89 Evaluation......Page 90 Language and translation......Page 93 The level of State representation......Page 94 Examination......Page 95 Timing......Page 96 Conclusions and follow-up......Page 97 NGOS, national human rights institutions and alternate/shadow reports......Page 98 The role of the African Union......Page 100 Conclusion......Page 101 Introduction and overview of the individual communications procedure......Page 104 Seizure......Page 105 Merits......Page 106 Remedies......Page 107 Amicable settlements......Page 108 Provisional measures......Page 113 Withdrawal and closure of the file......Page 115 Procedure for consideration of admissibility......Page 116 Grounds for admissibility......Page 120 Identity of the author......Page 121 The communication must be compatible with the AU Constitutive Act and the African Charter......Page 122 Compatibility ‘ratione materiae’......Page 124 Compatibility ‘ratione personae’......Page 128 Compatibility ‘ratione temporis’......Page 133 Compatibility ‘ratione loci’......Page 135 Communications must not be written in disparaging language......Page 136 Communications must not be based solely on media information......Page 138 Communications must be sent after local remedies have been exhausted......Page 139 ‘Exhaustion’......Page 140 A ‘local remedy’......Page 142 An available remedy (‘if any’)......Page 145 Exemptions......Page 146 The length of the procedure......Page 152 Communications must not have already been settled in terms of international law......Page 153 Locus standi before the Court......Page 157 Admissibility......Page 158 Substantive jurisdiction of the Court......Page 159 The temporal jurisdiction of the Court......Page 161 Inter-State communications......Page 162 Conclusion......Page 165 Introduction......Page 167 Written material......Page 169 Oral hearings......Page 171 Missions......Page 174 Rules of evidence......Page 176 Burden of proof......Page 177 Standard of proof......Page 187 Admissibility and issues of weight......Page 190 Aims of the communication procedure......Page 195 Conclusion......Page 198 State obligations......Page 199 Non-discrimination and equal protection......Page 205 Race, ethnic group, colour, language, national origin......Page 207 Sex......Page 209 Political or other opinion......Page 210 Other status......Page 211 Right to life......Page 212 Summary executions......Page 213 Death penalty......Page 217 Right to dignity and recognition of legal status; prohibition of torture......Page 219 Torture and inhuman treatment or punishment......Page 220 Prison conditions......Page 221 Shari’a punishments......Page 222 Human dignity......Page 223 Liberty......Page 225 Right to a fair trial......Page 226 Article 7(1)(a) – appeal to competent national organs......Page 228 Article 7(1)(b) – presumption of innocence......Page 230 Article 7(1)(c): Right to defence and counsel of one’s choice......Page 231 Article 7(1)(d) – trial within reasonable time by an impartial tribunal......Page 232 Article 7(2) – no retroactive laws......Page 233 Article 26 – judicial independence......Page 234 Implementation and enforcement of the Commission’s decisions......Page 235 Conclusion......Page 240 Introduction......Page 241 Freedom of conscience and religion......Page 243 The right to information and freedom of expression......Page 247 Freedoms of association and assembly......Page 253 Freedom of association......Page 254 Freedom of assembly......Page 257 Freedom of movement......Page 258 Right to participate in the government of one’s country......Page 262 Right to property......Page 266 Conclusion......Page 269 Introduction......Page 272 Peoples as rights-holders under the Charter......Page 273 The African Commission’s understanding of ‘peoples’......Page 275 The Commission’s approach to indigenous peoples......Page 276 Article 19 – right to equality......Page 278 Colonialism and beyond......Page 279 Jurisprudence......Page 280 Indigenous peoples’ way of life......Page 282 Intent......Page 283 Positive measures......Page 284 Article 20 – right to existence......Page 285 Self-determination......Page 286 The right to free themselves......Page 289 Violation of Article 21 – right to free disposition of natural resources......Page 290 Right to natural resources......Page 291 Natural resources and indigenous peoples......Page 292 Property and natural resources......Page 293 Intellectual property and natural resources......Page 295 Limitations on the right......Page 296 Article 22 – the Right to Development......Page 298 Development as choice and increasing capabilities......Page 301 Violation of choice and capabilities......Page 302 Effective participation and meaningful consultation......Page 304 Conclusion......Page 306 Article 23 – right to peace and security......Page 307 National......Page 308 International......Page 309 Environment......Page 311 Scope for further development......Page 314 Conclusion......Page 315 Introduction......Page 317 Observer status at the African Commission......Page 319 Public awareness events on the work of the African Commission......Page 322 Ordinary sessions......Page 324 Extraordinary sessions of the African Commission......Page 325 The consideration of State reports......Page 326 Fact-finding missions......Page 328 Special mechanisms of the African Commission......Page 329 The office of the Special Rapporteur......Page 330 Working groups......Page 332 The role of non-governmental organisations in setting norms and standards......Page 334 Lodging complaints before the African Commission (communications)......Page 336 Institutional support......Page 338 Affiliate status......Page 339 Conclusion......Page 342 Introduction......Page 344 Defining the role of the Secretariat of the African Commission......Page 346 Provision of technical support for the monitoring and advisory functions of the African Commission......Page 348 Missions......Page 350 State reporting......Page 354 Communications......Page 357 Dissemination of the African Commission’s work and promotion of the African Charter......Page 360 Ensuring networking with other human rights organisations, and facilitating networking activities among them......Page 362 Procurement of the necessary resources for the fulfilment of the African Commission’s mandate......Page 367 Conclusion......Page 370 Introduction......Page 372 The Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions......Page 374 The Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Conditions of Detention......Page 381 The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa......Page 388 Special Rapporteur on refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons......Page 392 Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa......Page 397 Special rapporteur on freedom of expression in Africa......Page 399 All Special Rapporteurs have been commissioners......Page 400 Reliance on NGOs......Page 401 Funding......Page 403 Standard setting......Page 404 Conclusion......Page 405 Introduction......Page 407 Working groups under the African Charter......Page 409 The Working Group on Communications......Page 416 The Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa......Page 418 Follow-up committee on the Robben Island Guidelines......Page 422 Working Group on the Death Penalty......Page 424 Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights......Page 428 Conclusion......Page 431 Introduction......Page 434 Decision on merger of the African Court and the Court of Justice......Page 436 Critique of decision to merge......Page 442 Drafting of a new protocol......Page 445 Protocol on the statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights......Page 446 Ratification......Page 449 Reservations......Page 451 Gender parity......Page 452 Regional representation......Page 453 Competence of the Court......Page 454 Jurisdiction personae......Page 457 Independence of the Court......Page 460 Nomination and election of judges......Page 462 Decisions of the Court......Page 464 Conclusion......Page 465 Locating women’s rights within the continental human rights framework......Page 469 History of drafting the Protocol to the African Charter on Women’s Rights......Page 473 Initial draft of the Special Rapporteur’s working group......Page 474 The meeting of government experts......Page 475 Defining discrimination......Page 481 Defining violence against women......Page 483 Reproductive rights......Page 486 Female genital cutting and other harmful practices......Page 488 Economic, social and cultural rights......Page 489 Inconsistency in standard setting......Page 491 ‘Culture’......Page 492 Reservations......Page 493 Implementation, commitment and resource allocation......Page 496 Monitoring......Page 497 Conclusion......Page 501 Bibliography......Page 503 Index......Page 519 Introductory Preface: The African Charter And African Commission On Human And Peoples' Rights / Germain Baricako -- The African Union And The Regional Human Rights System / Gino J. Naldi -- The State Reporting Mechanism Of The African Charter / Malcolm Evans And Rachel Murray -- Communications Under The African Charter : Procedure And Admissibility / Frans Viljoen -- Evidence And Fact-finding By The African Commission / Rachel Murray -- Civil And Political Rights In The African Charter On Human And People's Rights : Articles 1-7 / Bronwen Manby -- Civil And Political Rights In The African Charter : Articles 8-14 / Kolawole Olaniyan -- Group Rights / Clive Baldwin And Cynthia Morel -- The Role Of Non-governmental Organisations And National Human Rights Institutions At The African Commission / Nobuntu Mbelle -- A View From The Inside : The Role Of The Secretariat / Fiona Adolu -- The Special Rapporteurs In The African System / Rachel Murray -- Working Groups Of The African Commission And Their Role In The Development Of The African Charter On Human And Peoples' Rights / Bahame Tom Mukirya Nyanduga -- The Creation Of A New African Court Of Justice And Human Rights / Ibrahima Kane And Ahmed C. Motala -- Protocol To The African Charter On The Rights Of Women In Africa / Fareda Banda. Edited By Malcolm Evans And Rachel Murray. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 475-490) And Index. "The African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights came into force in 1986, and is unique in that it lacks a precedent. However, little scholarship exists analysing it as an operational system in practice. The success of the first edition of this book has led to this updated second edition. Contributors include experts who have been actively involved in the implementation of the Charter - commissioners, NGOs and academics. Offering an evaluation of the Charter as a mechanism for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa, the contributions cover the Charter's reporting system, the interpretation of different rights by the Commission, the prospects for the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and the role of NGOs. This authoritative and comprehensive volume will interest lawyers acting for government and non-governmental organisations, as well as academics and postgraduates."--BOOK JACKET In this book, experts in the field analyse the reporting system of the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights, the interpretation of different rights by the Commission, the prospects for the African Court on Human and People's Rights and the role of NGOs.