---

Introducing the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS)

---

"States parties to the (African) Charter shall have the duty to promote and ensure through teaching, education and publication, the respect of the rights and freedoms contained in the Charter and to see to it that these freedoms and rights as well as corresponding obligations and duties are understood."

The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies was established in June 1989 as a regional Non-Governmental Organization to promote, in cooperation with other African and international institutions, the observance of human and peoples' rights and democratic principles throughout Africa.

The African Centre is governed by an independent Council of experts in the field of human rights, has been granted diplomatic immunities and privileges by the Government of The Gambia and Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples'

Since its inception, the Centre has received material and financial support from various national, international and governmental sources to all of whom we are, indeed, grateful.

The promotion of human rights in Africa is an immense undertaking and the magnitude of the task demands collaboration and the sharing of resources. As Africans, we are concerned.

For its part, the African Centre is eager to work with all individuals, organisations and governments who share our objectives.

PROGRAMMES:

The African Centre's eight inter-related human rights programmes are:

Human Rights Procedures: to increase awareness in Africa of the international human rights procedures, with the aim of increasing the flow of information between African human rights groups and the international machinery. Activities in this area include training courses for activists and academics, publishing papers on UN procedures with an African focus.

Research: to conduct. commission and publish reliable and objective research about human rights in Africa; subjects include AIDS and the African Charter, national human rights institutions in Africa, and a survey of prison conditions.

Documentation: to build a human rights library and documentation resource available to anyone interested in African human rights. The Documentation Centre welcomes publication exchanges with African and other NGOs.

Publications: to publish a regular, bilingual Newsletter and series of Occasional Papers on African human rights.

Training and Education: to organize training seminars (past courses include a seminar for upper-level magistrates from five francophone West African countries), conduct a review of human rights education in Africa and prepare for an annual human rights course.

Internship Programme: to enable African and other interns to learn from and contribute to the work of the African Centre.

Women's Programme: to address specific issues of "women's rights as human rights". The thrust of this programme takes off from the awareness that the recognition of women's rights is central to setting Africa to rights realising the crucial role women play in the social and cultural processes in the lives of communities on the continent.

African NGO Networking and Institution Building Programme: to coordinate and promote the activities of African human rights NGOs and to. assist in building their resources, capacities and contacts for more effective work in their areas of operation. This programme was created at the Tunis forum in March 1992 by the African NGOs themselves recognising the centrality of the African Centre as the clearing house.

COUNCIL AND STAFF

The African Centre is staffed by women and men who bring expertise from various subregions of Africa. We are governed by an international Council of experts, including ex-officio membership of the Attorney-General of The Gambia, the Chair of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and representatives of the African Bar Association and other non-governmental organisations.

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES

Seminar for Magistrates from francophone West African countries in May 1990. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) workshop on: NGO Participation in the African Commission in October and November l991.

Publication of a quarterly African Centre Human Rights Newsletter. Four occasional papers published:

No. 1: National Human Rights Institutions in Africa;

No. 2: Evidence of Torture in Africa;

No. 3: AIDS and the African Charter.

No. 4: Evidence of Extrajudicial Arbitrary or Summary Executions in Africa.

(Workshop with ICJ) on Paralegal training in Africa, Banjul, October 8-13, l991.

Seminar on Human Rights Procedures, November, 25-29, 1991.

lst Workshop "Training Workshop for Senior public officials - on how to create a Human Rights Educational Programme in their Ministries and Departments, Banjul, May 27-29, 1992.

International Training Course on the "Role of the Police in the Protection of Human Rights" - Banjul, August 3-7, 1992.

ICJ/ACDHRS/ACHPR Workshop on NGO participation in the work of the African Commission, 1992, 1993, 1994 (twice yearly).

Magistrates' training course on Human Rights awareness among senior legal practitioners. February 8-12, 1993.

Seminar for Magistrates in Anglophobe Africa, May 1993.

Huridocs/Centre training course for "Africa Bilingual Documentation Handling in Africa", Banjul, August 17-27, 1993.

African Women Tradition, Culture and Religion, Banjul, February 29-March 4, 1994.

International Human Rights procedures - Course on "the use of International Human Rights Procedures - Banjul, May 30-June 3, 1994.

Workshop for public officials from Commonwealth West African States on "the preparation of periodic reports of states parties under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights" - Banjul, 27-30 July, 1993.

Local Human Rights meetings in high schools - Banjul.

SOCK, Raymond

Discussion notes on 'Penal and judicial reasons for overcrowding in African prisons': First regional session organised by the International Prison Watch on African non-governmental mechanisms for the observations alert and protection of people in prison, Dakar, Senegal, 31 January to 3 February, 1995 / by Raymond Sock. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1995, 7p.

SOCK, Raymond

The death penalty and extrajudicial executions / a paper presented at the First Annual General Meeting of the Banjul Group of Amnesty International, held in the conference hall of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, 28 January, 1995- / Raymond Sock. -- Banjul, ACDHRS, 1995 5 p.

A COMPILATION of selected news report and articles on women's issues = rapports et articles sur les questions des femmes / Documentation Unit, ACDHRS, 1994, 86p.

AFRICAN women and tradition, culture and religion: report on the workshop on African women and tradition, culture and religion held under the auspices of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Atlantic Hotel, Banjul, 29 February to 4 March, 1994. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1994 [32p]. In English and French.

SOCK, Raymond

A discussion paper on the legal status of African Women vis-a-vis CEDAW and states periodic reports / prepared by Raymond Sock. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1994. 16p.

Prepared for the Fifth African Regional Conference on Women, 13-23 November, 1994, Dakar, Senegal.

The USE international human rights procedures: report on the training course on the use of international human rights procedures, Kombo Beach Novote,, Banjul, The Gambia, 30 May to 3 June, 1994 - - Banjul: ACDHRS, 1994 [48]p.

PRISON conditions in Africa: report of a seminar held in Banjul on 2-4 April, 1993 organised by Penal Reform International and the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Banjul, ACDHRS, 1993, 24p. In English and French.

IMPROVING penal systems in Africa: report of a seminar held in Banjul, The Gambia on 27-29 July, 1992 organised by Penal Reform International and the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Banjul, 1992. 37 p.

JALLOW, Hassan, B.

AIDS and the African Charter = SIDA et la Charte Africaine/Hassan B. Jallow and Paul Hunt. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1991 28 p -- (Occasional Paper No. 3.).

CARVER, Richard

National human rights institutions in Africa/Richard Carver and Paul Hunt. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1991, 45 p. -- (Occasional Paper No. 2.).

AFRICAN Human Rights Newsletter. -- Vol.1, Jan - March, 1991 -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1991 [16]p.

SOCK, Raymond

The UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners and the management of African penitentiary institutions/ Raymond Sock. -- Banjul: ACDHRS, 1991. 23 p.

This paper was prepared and delivered by the author during the Arab African Seminar on Penal Justice and Penitentiary Reform held in Tunis, from 29 November to 2 December 1991.

A COMPILATION of human rights news reports on selected African countries = revue de presse sur les droits de l'homme en certains pays Africains/Documentation Unit. ACDHRS, October, 1991. 70p. Also has issues for December, 1992; March 1993; and October 1994.

AFRICAN Centre for democracy and human rights studies = Centre Africain pour la democratie et les etudes des droits de l'homme: a brochure. 1991.

In English and French.

Activities Report 1990 - 1993.

BILINGUAL (ENGLISH & FRENCH)

Too many mouths, too little to feed them = Trop de bouches, tres peu pour les nourrir.

Time for change!! Women are not beast of burden = L'Heure do changement!! Les femmes ne sont pas des betes de somme.

Women's participation in development project is crucial for success = La participation des femmes aux projects de developpement est primordiale pour la reussite.

Men and Women are equal in dignity and right = Les hommes et les femmes sont egaux en droits et en dignite.

Wife-Beating is a crime! = Battre les femmes est un crime!!

Housewives, Teachers, Secretaries, moving up in solidarity = Femmes de Menage, Professeurs, Secretaires, agir en solidarite.

Education for all! = L'Education pour tous!

I have a right freely to choose my husband = J'ai le droit de choisir librement mon mari.

Sharing and caring together = Le partage et les soins mutuels.

Know your rights in the Holy Bible and Holy Qurtan = Connaissez vos droits dans la Sainte Bible et le Quran.

The right to property, land, goats, house and all = Le droit a la propriete, terre, chevres, maison et tout.

Stand up and be counted = Leve-toi que l'on puisse te comptes

Women also have a right to govern = Les femmes aussi ont le droit a diriger.

Eradicate female genital multilation = Eliminez la mutilation sexuelle feminine.

Household chores are for both boys and girls = Les travaux domestiques doivent etre fait par les garsons et les filles.

Home || Treaties || Search || Links