By Sarah Nyakio
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights will begin its 54th Ordinary Session on Monday, 2 September 2019, at its Seat in Arusha, Tanzania.
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Court) is a continental court established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa. It complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Judges, among others, will examine over 15 applications and at least six Judgments are expected to be rendered before the close of the four-week Session on 27 September 2019.
The Session is also expected to review the preparations for the Fourth African Judicial Dialogue slated for October 30 to 1 November 2019 in Kampala, Uganda, under the theme: ‘’Tackling Contemporary Human Rights Issues: The Role of the Judiciary in Africa’’.
The Judicial Dialogue brings together the Chief Justices and the Presidents of Constitutional Courts of the AU Member States.
The Judges will also discuss the progress on the First International Court Forum on Human Rights to be held from 4 to 5 November in Zanzibar. The Forum will involve the Judges of the African Court, the Inter-American Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
BACKGROUND
The Court was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, (the Protocol) which was adopted by Member States of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June 1998.
The Court is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of the Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity. The Court meets four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold Extra-Ordinary Sessions.
The Judicial Dialogue is a biennial event, institutionalised by the African Union. This is the first time that the event will be hosted outside the Seat of the African Court.
