12th November 2015
A three member delegation from CEPS is attending a workshop in Pretoria South Africa, on increasing states capacity for reporting under the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
CEPS is being represented by Gender, Rights and Governance Commissioner Mrs Monica Servina, CEPS Secretary Mrs Marie-Nella Azemia and CEPS Communication & Membership Manager Ms Tessa Henderson.
The workshop is being organised by the Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria.
The state reporting process is viewed as a fundamental component in monitoring the implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Womens Protocol or Protocol). Article 26 of the Protocol obligates States parties to indicate legislative and other measures undertaken towards the full realisation of the rights enshrined in the Protocol in their periodic reports submitted to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) under the African Charter.
Civil society plays an active role during the report writing process as it not only invited for the consultation process, but also during the writing and validation of the report.
State reporting serves a number of important functions including but not limited to: stock-taking of measures undertaken by States parties towards compliance with their obligations under the Protocol; identifying problems and obstacles to full implementation of the Protocol and providing an opportunity for constructive engagement with the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in order that States parties may benefit from their concrete recommendations.
In 2009 the ACHPR adopted Guidelines on State Reporting under the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. These Guidelines are being disseminated at this workshop and is also being reviewed in order that the participants may familiarise themselves with the Guidelines in order to take steps to meet their reporting obligations under the Protocol.
Present at the workshop is Commissioner Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and Member, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
At this morning’s sessions Commissioner Maiga spoke of the role of civil society and national human rights institutions in the state reporting process.
Seychelles submitted its report to the commission in 2004, which in fact was a ten year report. Countries are required to submit reports every two years. This means that the Seychelles has missed on submitting 5 reports in total, since joining the African Union in 1992.
For more information go to http://www.achpr.org/states/
