CIVICUS at the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

Friday, 20 October 2025 – 29 October 2025

At CIVICUS, we believe in the fundamental importance of human rights and are dedicated to advancing the work of human rights defenders and protecting civic space. We continue to actively engage with various human rights mechanisms, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), to support the ongoing efforts to uphold and strengthen human rights across the African continent.

What is ACHPR?

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) is Africa's primary regional human rights body. Established by the African Union (AU) under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Commission plays a crucial role in promoting and protecting human rights in Africa. It holds two Ordinary Sessions annually where States' compliance with the African Charter is reviewed.

During these sessions, civil society organisations (like CIVICUS) actively engage, providing vital input to ensure that human rights issues are addressed, and that States are held accountable for their commitments to protecting human rights.

Before the ACHPR session, there is a Forum on the Participation of NGOs in ordinary sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, also known as the ‘NGO Forum’, which is an advocacy platform coordinated by the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) to promote advocacy, lobbying and networking among and between human rights NGOs, for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa. The NGO Forum shares updates on the human rights situation in Africa by the African and international NGOs community with a view of identifying responses as well as adopting strategies towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the continent. The NGO forum session will be hosted in person in Banjul, the Gambia 17-19 October 2025.

The Session

This is an in-person session with Commissioners and all the participants including State representatives and members of civil society organisations required to be present in Banjul. All the official documents on the 85^th Ordinary Session are available on the African Commission’s website.

CIVICUS' Participation at the 85^th ACHPR Session

CIVICUS will be participating in the upcoming 85^th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, which will bring together government representatives, human rights defenders, and civil society organisations to discuss critical human rights issues in Africa. This session happens at a time when  human rights,  particularly civic space, is at a crossroads. Civic space and the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) continues to deteriorate in countries such as the DRC, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Egypt,  and Togo. In military-led countries following armed coups, the human rights and governance situation remains deeply concerning.

Side-Events at ACHPR

1. Early Warning and Prevention Systems

CIVICUS in collaboration with RFLD and EU SEE Consortium members, will host a side-event titled “Early Warning and Prevention Systems: Fostering Collaboration Between African Commission and HRDs for Sustainable Advocacy.” The event will, among others,  highlight the role of ACHPR in early warning and prevention systems as a strong pillar for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.  Furthermore, this event seeks to establish a dialogue for collaboration between the ACHPR and relevant actors in developing, implementing, and sustaining early warning and prevention systems that can effectively anticipate, prevent, and mitigate human rights violations across Africa.

2. Launch of the African Hackathons

CIVICUS coordinating other CHARM Consortium members, will launch the African Hackathons. The process started in October 2024, at the 81^st Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, seeking to democratise and enable ease access to human rights knowledge and legal resources across Africa by deploying innovative digital solutions. This seeks to empower activists and civic actors to drive meaningful change in media, governance, and human rights advocacy, while fostering sustainable intersectional coalitions that transcend traditional organisational boundaries. Two winning digital solutions -  Fahamuhakuziko and AfricLegal will be launched at the session.

3. The state of HRDS in the DRC

CIVICUS with partners will host an advocacy session with key relevant stakeholders at the ACHPR to highlight the situation of HRDs in the DRC. Focus will be put on the HRDs that have been abducted and whose  whereabouts remain unknown. Among the objectives is to encourage the country focal person and the relevant Special Rapporteur to undertake a country mission on these issues.

Key Areas of advocacy at the session:

• Defending Civic Space: Protecting the rights of activists, NGOs, and communities to speak out and engage in advocacy without fear of retaliation.
• Supporting Environmental Human Rights Defenders: Addressing the growing threats faced by environmental defenders, who are often targeted for their efforts to protect land, water, and natural resources. The interactions here will be linked to the Stand As My Witness campaign, highlighting the plights of defenders under the campaign - Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube – Eswatini and Hoda Abdel Moneim – Egypt,.
• Country Focus – Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Highlighting the DRC's ongoing human rights challenges, due to severe violations against human rights defenders. Raise voices and engage with various actors on the harassment and abduction of HRDs, including the LUCHA officers who have been abducted since 7 September 2025.
• Sudan – the ACHPR happens amidst intensified fighting in many parts of Sudan, including Darfur and El Fasher, which continues to displace citizens. The crisis is deepening amid rising civilian casualties, growing ethnic violence and grim humanitarian situation.
• Mauritius, Botswana, Egypt, and Tunisia - In accordance with Article 62 of the African Charter, States Parties are required to submit Periodic Reports to the ACHPR every two years. The Commission will review Periodic Reports for Mauritius, Botswana, Egypt, and Tunisia. CIVICUS will support partners in hosting advocacy sessions at the commission, including side events on both countries, focusing on civic space trends.

In addition to our participation, CIVICUS will make statements under the following debates:  

1. Human rights situation in Africa (item 3).
2. Activity reports (item 6).
3. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa (item 5).
4. Working Group on Extractive Industries, environment and human rights violations in Africa (WGEI).

These will focus on civic space trends, human rights, and fundamental freedoms protection and promotion in Africa. Under Item 3, civil society organisations with observer status can make a statement highlighting specific issues relating to human rights enshrined in the African Charter. This opportunity can be used to call the attention of the Commission on a specific issue or update Commissioners on an issue brought to their attention previously.

Country and Special Rapporteurs mandates

The mandate of each Commissioner covers 5 countries in Africa. During the session, civil society organisations have the opportunity to meet with the Commissioners whose mandates cover their countries of interest. It is important to seize this moment to update the relevant mandate holder on the issues specific to your country of interest and more specifically call their attention to an issue you want them to raise with State representatives directly or during the session.

Though it is recommended that civil society share information with Special Rapporteurs throughout the year, at each session, organisations can make statements highlighting important issues of interest during the presentations of activity reports by each Commissioner, including Special Rapporteurs.

Join Us in Defending Human Rights

At CIVICUS, we’re committed to defending the fundamental rights of individuals and communities across Africa. Our engagement at the 85^th ACHPR session is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that governments are held accountable and that human rights defenders have the support they need.

 Join the Conversation: Stay connected with us throughout the session for live updates, key highlights, and calls to action.

The session will have livestream  and the links for such, as well as the general agenda nd flow of session can be accessed on the link here. You can follow the session on Live streams of the following sessions on YouTube page.

For all enquiries on CIVICUS’ engagement at the African Commission, please reach out to Dr Paul Mulindwa: