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sexual health and human rights in the african region - The ICHRP

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• receive <strong>in</strong>formation; 18<br />

• best atta<strong>in</strong>able state of physical <strong>and</strong> mental <strong>health</strong>; 19<br />

• non-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation aga<strong>in</strong>st women <strong>and</strong> protection of <strong>the</strong> <strong>rights</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />

woman <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> child 20<br />

[10] <strong>The</strong> African Charter is supervised by <strong>the</strong> African Commission on Human <strong>and</strong><br />

People’s Rights <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> African Court on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights. <strong>The</strong><br />

African Commission on Human Rights (<strong>the</strong> African Commission) was<br />

established to promote <strong>and</strong> protect <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong>. 21 Its m<strong>and</strong>ate is, <strong>in</strong>ter alia, to<br />

promote <strong>and</strong> protect <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong> <strong>and</strong> to <strong>in</strong>terpret provisions of <strong>the</strong> African<br />

Charter. 22 As part of its protective function, <strong>the</strong> African Commission has a quasijudicial<br />

m<strong>and</strong>ate to receive <strong>and</strong> adjudicate on communications alleg<strong>in</strong>g<br />

violations of <strong>human</strong> <strong>rights</strong> by <strong>the</strong> state or organs of <strong>the</strong> state. <strong>The</strong><br />

communications can be submitted by States Parties, non-governmental<br />

organizations or <strong>in</strong>dividuals. 23<br />

[11] <strong>The</strong> African Court of Human Rights (<strong>the</strong> African Court) is a newly established<br />

court. It was established by <strong>the</strong> Protocol to <strong>the</strong> African Charter on Human <strong>and</strong><br />

Peoples’ Rights on <strong>the</strong> Establishment of an African Court on Human <strong>and</strong><br />

Peoples’ Rights. 24 <strong>The</strong> jurisdiction of <strong>the</strong> African Court of Human Rights is to<br />

<strong>in</strong>terpret <strong>and</strong> apply <strong>the</strong> Charter <strong>and</strong> any o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>struments ratified by Member<br />

States. 25 <strong>The</strong> African Court has contentious jurisdiction as well as advisory<br />

jurisdiction. 26 In its contentious jurisdiction, thus far, <strong>the</strong> African Court has only<br />

adjudicated on one case. 27<br />

[12] A resolution to merge <strong>the</strong> African Court on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights with <strong>the</strong><br />

African Court of Justice of <strong>the</strong> African Union was adopted by <strong>the</strong> Summit of <strong>the</strong><br />

18 Article 9 ibid.<br />

19 Article 16 ibid.<br />

20 Article 18 ibid.<br />

21 Article 30 ibid.<br />

22 Article 45 ibid.<br />

23 Articles 47 <strong>and</strong> 55 ibid.<br />

24 Adopted on 10 June 1998 <strong>and</strong> entered <strong>in</strong>to force on 25 January 2004.<br />

25 Article 3 of <strong>the</strong> Protocol to <strong>the</strong> Africa Charter on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights on <strong>the</strong> Establishment of an<br />

African Court on Human <strong>and</strong> Peoples’ Rights.<br />

26 Articles 3 <strong>and</strong> 4 ibid.<br />

27 In December of 2009, <strong>the</strong> African Court issued its first rul<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Matter of Michelot Yogogombaye v <strong>The</strong><br />

Republic of Senegal. In this case, <strong>the</strong> Court dismissed a petition ask<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Court to <strong>in</strong>tervene <strong>in</strong> legal<br />

matter brought aga<strong>in</strong>st former President of Chad, Habre, <strong>in</strong> Senegal, where Habre was fac<strong>in</strong>g a trial for<br />

alleged war crimes <strong>and</strong> crimes aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>human</strong>ity committed <strong>in</strong> Chad. <strong>The</strong> Court dismissed <strong>the</strong> petition on<br />

<strong>the</strong> ground that Chad has not entered a declaration accept<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Court's jurisdiction to hear <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />

petitions as required by article 34(6) of <strong>the</strong> Protocol establish<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Court:<br />

.<br />

23

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