DRAFT AGENDA OF THE 38^th ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS

(From 21^st November to 5^th December 2005, Banjul, The Gambia)

Item 1: Opening Ceremony (Public Session)

Item 2: Swearing in of new Members of the African Commission (Public session)

Item 3: Election of the Bureau of the African Commission (Private Session)

Item 4: Adoption of the Agenda (Private Session)

Item 5: Organisation of Work (Private Session)

Item 6: Appointments of: (Private Session)

a)      Special Rapporteurs:

·         The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa;

·         The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa;

·         The Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Conditions of Detention in Africa; and

·         The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa.

b)     Members of Working Groups:

·        Working Group on Indigenous Populations;

·        Working Group on Death Penalty; and

·        Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the ACHPR

Item 7: Adoption of the Draft Reports of the 35^th, 36^th and 37^thOrdinary Sessions

(Private Session)

Item 8: Cooperation and Relationship with National Human Rights Institutions and NGOs (Public Session)

1.           Cooperation between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and National Human Rights Institutions:

a.     Relationship with National Human Rights Institutions; and,

b.     Consideration of applications for affiliate status from National Human Rights Institutions.

2.           Cooperation between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and NGOs.

a.      Relationship with NGOs; and

b.      Consideration of applications of NGOs for Observer Status.

Item 9:  Human Rights Situation in Africa (Public Session):

a.      Statements by State Delegates and Guests;

b.      Statements by Intergovernmental Organizations

c.      Statements by National Human Rights Institutions;

d.      Statements by NGOs.

Item 10: Consideration of State Reports (Public Session):

a.      Status of Submission of State Party Reports;

b.      Consideration of the Initial Report of Seychelles; and

c.      Consideration of the Periodic Report of South Africa.

Item 11: The Establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: (Public Session)

Status of ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the effective establishment of the same.

Item 12: Promotion Activities (Public Session)

a.      Presentation of the Activity Reports of the Chairperson and Members of the African Commission;

b.      Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and the status of ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa;

c.      Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa;

d.      Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa;

e.      Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Expression in Africa;

f.        Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Implementation of the Robben Island Guidelines;

g.      Presentation of the Report on the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Situation of Indigenous Peoples/Communities in Africa;

h.      Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on ECOSOC rights in Africa;

i.         Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights;

j.         Report of the Working Group on Death Penalty; and

k.       Organisation of Conferences and Seminars.

Item 13: Consideration and Adoption of Draft Reports (Private Session):

a.      Draft Reports on the Promotional Missions to Seychelles, Burundi, Rwanda, Mali, Central African Republic, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and Botswana ;

b.      Draft Report of the mission of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylums Seekers and IDPs to Senegal;

c.      Draft Reports of the Missions of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa to Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Sudan, and Sao Tome and Principe; and

d.      Draft reports of the missions of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities to Botswana and Namibia.

Item 14: Consideration of : (Private Session)

a)      Position paper on Death penalty in Africa; and

b)      Concept paper on African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF)

Item 15: Establishment of a Hotline on Prisons in Africa: modalities of

  operationalisation (Private Session)

Item 16: Protection Activities (Private Session):

a.      Locus standi before the African Commission; and

b.      Consideration of Communications.

Item 17: Report on the follow up of the Recommendations of the Retreat of the ACHPR and of the UPPSALA consultation (private Session)

Item 18:     Consideration of the consultants’ evaluation report on the review of the procedures of the African Commission on human and peoples’ rights (private Session)

Item 19: Relationship between the African Commission and different AU organs/institutions (private Session)

Item 20: Administrative and Financial Matters (Private Session)

a.      Report of the Secretary on the budget and financial statements of the Commission;

b.      Administrative situation of the Secretariat;

·        Information on office space and other Staff matters

·        Construction of the Headquarters of the African Commission.

Item 21: Methods of Work of the African Commission (Private Session)

Item 22: Consideration and Adoption of Recommendations, Decisions, and Resolutions including: (Private Session):

a.      Concluding Observations on the initial Report the Seychelles and the periodic reports of South Africa; and

b.      Recommendations of the NGO Forum

c.      The recommendations from the experts meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique on:

·         Violence against women in Africa; and

·         Women and poverty in Africa.

d.      The Code of Conduct of the members of the African Commission

Item 23:  Dates, Venue and Draft Agenda of the 39^th Ordinary Session of the Commission (Private Session)

Item 24:  Any Other Business (Private Session)

Item 25:  Preparation of the Session Report and the Final Communiqué of the 38^th Ordinary Session (Private Session)

Item 26: Adoption of the Session Report and the Final Communiqué of the 38^th Ordinary Session (Private Session)

Item 27: Reading of the Final Communiqué and Closing Ceremony (Public Session)

Item 28: Press Conference (Public Session)