The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights meeting at its 49th Ordinary Session held from 28 May to 12 May 2011, in Banjul, The Gambia:
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Recalling the Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Aid in Africa (1996) the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998), the Grand Bay Declaration (1999) and its Plan of Action, the Kigali Declaration (2003);
Bearing in mind the commitment of the States Members of the African Union in the Grand Bay (Mauritius) Declaration to implement the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and the decision of the 33 rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission (May 2003) which considers that interference to the work of human rights defenders amounts to a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples ’ Rights;
Recalling Resolution ACHPR/69(XXXV) 04 on the protection of human rights defenders in Africa, Resolution ACHPR/Res.119 (XXXXII) 07 on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Africa;
Recalling further Resolution ACHPR/Res151 (XLVI) 09 on the need for the conduct of a study on the freedom of association in Africa;
Decides to appoint the following organisations to conduct, under the supervision of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, a study on the laws governing freedom of association and practices that violate freedom of association in Africa:
- International Service for Human Rights;
- Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa;
- West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network;
- East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project;
- African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies;
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies;
- Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network;
Further decides that the Report of the study be submitted to the African Commission within a period of one (1) year.
Done in Banjul, The Gambia, 12 may 2011.