MEDIA ADVISORY
“The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Your new partner in the protection of human rights in Africa”

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
What: Sensitization Seminar on the African Court on Human and People’s Rights.

Theme: “The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Your new partner in the protection of human rights in Africa”

Who: African Court for Human and Peoples’ Rights in collaboration with Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

When: 20th November 2014

Time: 9.00A.M - 2.00P.M

Where: Plenary Hall, Old Building, African Union Commission.

Objectives: The aim of this seminar is to enhance the protection of human rights in Africa including raising public awareness about the Court, encouraging the ratification of the Protocol and the deposit of the Declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol of the Court that allows individuals and NGOs direct access to the Court, encouraging the public to utilize the Court in settling human rights disputes; and encouraging the utilization of the Court to render advisory opinions.
Background:
1. The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (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) to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), with a view to enhancing the protection of human rights on the continent.
2. Since the adoption of the Protocol in June 1998 (more than 16 years ago), twenty eight (28) of the fifty four (54) Member States of the African Union have ratified it, and seven (7) States Parties to the Protocol have made the Declaration under Article 34(6).
3. As at September 2014, the Court had received thirty three (33) applications on contentious matters and eight (8) requests for advisory opinion.
4. The success of the Court as a human rights protection mechanism would require much wider ratification of the Protocol by Member States, as well as their acceptance of the competence of the Court by making the Declaration under Article 34(6). This “universal” ratification will give the Court the legitimacy it needs to effectively discharge its mandate.
Media representatives are invited to cover the event.

For any inquiry, please contact:
Ms. Yasmine Ali
Communication Officer
Directorate of Information and Communication
African Union Commission
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: Yasmineally@ymail.com
AliY@africa-union.org

Tel: +251912646241

Sukdhev Chhatbar
Senior Information and Communication Officer
African Court on Human and People’s Rights
Email: schatbar@african-court.org
Telephone: +251929186648

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
Follow us
Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission
Learn more at:
http://www.au.int