Kumulika - ISHR's Annual African Commission Monitor: A look back at 2025

View in your browser

Visit ishr.ch

Welcome to our revamped Kumulika newsletter looking back at the key developments at last year's 83rd and 85th sessions of the the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) and the meetings of the NGO Forum preceding them.

In 2025, the Commission discussed reparations, women human rights defenders, and the situations in Sudan and in the DR Congo. ISHR also coorganised a training and launched an online module for activists seeking to engage with the ACHPR, also unveiling a groundbreaking report on human rights in Africa's island States.

Highlights of the 85th session

Training: 16 defenders engage with the NGO Forum, African Commission for local impact

From 15 to 22 October 2025, 16 defenders from across Africa took part in ISHR's capacity-strengthening programme on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for the body’s 85th session.

Outcomes of the NGO Forum ahead of the 85th session of the ACHPR

From 17 to 19 October, the NGO Forum took placed ahead of the 85th session of the African Commission. Participants from across Africa and the diaspora gathered to assess the situation of human rights on the continent and propose mitigation solutions.

NGO Forum: Reparations for Africans and people of African descent

The NGO Forum focused on structural injustices in Africa, where colonial debt, exploitative labour systems, and descent-based discrimination remain a root cause for a number of human rights violations.

NGO Forum: African defenders call for an end to impunity

Concerned about the increasing numbers of unresolved cases, the NGO Forum looked at ways to address impunity for human rights violations in Africa.

NGO Forum: Environmental justice, Indigenous Peoples' rights go hand in hand

This panel discussed how environmental degradation and climate change disproportionately affect Indigenous Peoples in Africa, as well as women and youth, especially in communities that depend on nature for their survival and livelihoods daily.

NGO Forum: How the deterioration of civic space affects defenders in Africa

Since the last NGO forum of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, African human rights defenders agreed that the threats to civic space were of increasing concern.

Outcomes of the 85th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Throughout its 85th session, the Commission saw the periodic reviews of Egypt, Tunisia, and Botswana, a report by the fact-finding mission on Sudan, and panels on the elimination of racial discrimination, the externalisation of migration management, and the right to a healthy environment.

Situation must improve for women human rights defenders in Uganda

In a joint statement, the Women Human Rights Defenders Network of Uganda and ISHR shed light on the situation of Ugandan women defenders, who face criminalisation and attacks by authorities, including arbitrary arrests and cyberattacks.

African Commission monitors the implementation of the African Union 2025 theme

While the actions of the decade are centred on the reparation of Africans and people of African descents, the Commission held a panel to assess the implementation of the recommendations with a focus on human rights.

Commission documents human rights situation in Sudan

An ACHPR report found violations of the rights to life, to human dignity, liberty and security of the person, freedoms of speech and association, the right to freedom of movement, to non-discrimination, and to peace and security.

Combating terrorism with justice, transparency, respect for human rights

Insecurity and violent extremism, particularly in Africa's Sahel region, are prompting States to adopt counter-terrorism measures. Often, these measures also restrict rights and criminalise the the work of defenders.

ACHPR85 and NGO Forum: Read our full coverage!

Highlights of the 83rd session:

Outcomes of the NGO Forum ahead of the 83rd session of the African Commission

Discussions revolved around the African Union (AU) theme of the Year: ‘Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations’. The Forum was structured into 11 panels on themes relevant to protecting human rights, and participants also split into 13 special interest groups to develop recommendations to submit to the Commission.

NGO Forum: The role of defenders in advancing justice for civic space in Africa

As Africa is demanding justice and reparations for all forms of abuses and violations it has been subjected to for many years, African human rights defenders join the movement by questioning their role in advancing justice, especially regarding civic space.

NGO Forum: States should repeal colonial-era laws criminalising marginalised communities

This panel brought together human rights defenders and advocates to examine how outdated legal frameworks continue to marginalise communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and sex workers, and to discuss pathways toward decriminalisation and justice.

Outcomes of the 83rd session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

The African Commission's 83rd session saw the periodic reviews of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, panels on the repression of human rights defenders, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and reparations for Africans and people of African descent, as well as the launch of ISHR’s report on the situation of defenders in African island States and a new e-learning module on the Commission.

ISHR launches new module for African defenders to engage with the ACHPR

The Commission remains under-used by defenders and activists due to a lack of knowledge of parts of its functioning. To fill this gap, ISHR released a free, online, self-paced module on how to engage with the ACHPR.

Groundbreaking report on situation of defenders in African island States

ISHR officially launched its new report on the situation of human rights defenders in the African island States of Cape Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Seychelles.

ISHR calls for peace in the DRC, law to protect defenders in Zambia

As violence continues in the DRC, ISHR called for an immediate end to hostilities and for the implementation of the UN Human Rights Council resolution establishing a commission of inquiry and fact-finding mission to investigate alleged atrocities.

ISHR urges stronger protection for human rights defenders across Africa

In a statement focused on the activity report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, ISHR reaffirmed its strong commitment to the protection and empowerment of defenders across Africa.

ACHPR83 and NGO Forum: Read our full coverage!

ISHR would like to thank Bread for the World, Irish Aid and Luxembourg for their generosity in supporting our work at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and on this publication.

Kumulika is a newsletter produced by ISHR with the aim of informing readers of developments and opportunities around the ACHPR.

Copyright © ISHR, All rights reserved.

International Service for Human Rights
Rue de Varembé 1, Geneva 1202, Switzerland.
For more information, please visit our website: www.ishr.ch
Contact us: [email protected]

Unsubscribe