NGO Forum: Press release

FORUM ON THE PARTICIPATION OF NGOs IN THE 51ST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS AND THE 25TH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS BOOK FAIR

Honorable Commissioners of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), African civil society leaders and more than 100 Human Rights Activists from and beyond Africa will convene in Banjul, The Gambia for a 3-day meeting, to discuss the situation, challenges and strategies to improving democracy and human rights in Africa in readiness for their participation in the 51st Ordinary Session of the African Commission.

The Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the 51st Ordinary Session of the African Commission and the 25th African Human Rights Book Fair, organized and hosted by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (African Centre) the Secretariat of the Steering Committee of the NGOs Forum in collaboration with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission) scheduled to be held from 14th to 16th April 2012, at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, in Banjul, The Gambia will be officially opened by the President of the International Federation of Human Rights (Paris, France). Statements will also be made by the Chairperson of the African Commission and the Chair of the Governing Council of the African Centre.

The Forum provides an important platform for stakeholders to address challenges; exchange views and explore practical approaches and experiences with the objective to foster cooperation among and between NGOs as well as with the African Commission in promoting and protecting human rights in Africa.

Discussions in the first theme will be organized into plenary sessions on the Development of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa focusing on the presentation made at the opening on Overview of Human Rights Situation in Africa.

The Forum will examine the present situation of human rights on the continent, more specifically in Angola and Sudan (whose State reports will be examined by the African Commission at the 51st session); and will further seek to identity strategies in addressing emerging issues in identified countries.

Experts in the field of human rights and democracy will act as Resource Persons and Facilitators during the Forum which will facilitate a series of presentations or panel discussions on the following issues will be developed: Women and Property Rights and Intersection with HIV/AIDS; Drafting Guidelines on State Obligations relating to Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights; Women in the Electoral Process: The Situation Room; Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa; Extractive Industries and Human Rights Violations in Africa.

The Special Interest Groups will discuss, issues relating to Torture in Africa, the Situation of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, Freedom of Expression in Africa, the Situation of Women’s Rights, Prison Conditions, Rights of Children, the Death Penalty in Africa, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity amongst others.

The final theme will be on Networking for Human Rights which will give an update on the United Nations Human Rights Council, and a Consultation on Defending Civil Society Toolkit. The African Centre’s 25th African Human Rights Book Fair will run concurrently with the Forum, with objective of giving human rights NGOs the opportunity to share their materials with other NGOs, and to promote networking on the continent and beyond.

At the end of the three-day Forum, Resolutions and Recommendations will be forwarded to the African Commission for consideration during its 51st Ordinary Session which will also be held in The Gambia from 18th April to 2nd May, 2012.

A Press Conference will be held at the end of the closing ceremony of the Forum at the same venue.

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