ስለሰብአዊ መብቶች መሟገት - East and Horn of Africa Human Rights ...

የም/አ/ቀ/ሰ/መ/ተ/ፕ (EHAHRDP)RESOLUTION ON THE PROTECTION OF HU-MAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN AFRICAThe African Commission on Human and Peoples’Rights meeting at its 35 th Ordinary Session held from21 st May to 4 th June 2004, in Banjul, The Gambia;Recognising the crucial contribution of the work ofhuman rights defenders in promoting human rights,democracy and the rule of law in Africa;Seriously concerned about the persistence of violationstargeting individuals and members of their families,groups or organisations working to promote and protecthuman and peoples’ rights and by the growing risksfaced by human rights defenders in Africa;Noting with deep concern that impunity for threats,attacks and acts of intimidation against human rightsdefenders persists and that this impacts negatively onthe work and safety of human rights defenders;Recalling that it is entrusted by the African Charteron Human and Peoples’ Rights with the mandate topromote human and peoples’ rights and ensure theirprotection in Africa;Reaffirming the importance of the observance of thepurposes and principles of the African Charter for thepromotion and protection of all human rights and fundamentalfreedoms for human rights defenders and allpersons on the continent;Bearing inmind the Declaration on the Right andResponsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs ofSociety to Promote and Protect Universally RecognizedHuman Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Declarationon Human Rights Defenders);Mindful that in the Grand Bay (Mauritius) Declaration,the Organisation of African Unity called on MemberStates “to take appropriate steps to implement the UNDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders in Africa”;Mindful that the Kigali Declaration recognises “theimportant role that the human rights defenders play inthe promotion and protection of human rights in Africa”• to cooperate and engage in dialogue withMember States, National Human RightsInstitutions, relevant intergovernmental bodies,international and regional mechanisms ofprotection of human rights defenders, humanrights defenders and other stake holders;• to develop and recommend effective strategiesto better protect human rights defenders and tofollow up on his/her recommendations;• to raise awareness and promote the implementationof the UN Declaration on Human RightsDefenders in Africa;• Further decides to nominate CommissionerJainaba Johm as the Special Rapporteur onHuman Rights Defenders for the current durationof her mandate within this Commission;• Reiterates its support for the work carried outby human rights defenders in Africa;• Calls upon Member States to promote andgive full effect to the UN Declaration on HumanRights Defenders, to take all necessarymeasures to ensure the protection of humanrights defenders and to include informationon measures taken to protect human rightsdefenders in their periodic reports;• Invites its members to mainstream the issue ofhuman rights defenders in their activities;• Urges Member States to co-operate with andassist the Focal Point in the performance ofhis/her tasks and to provide all necessaryinformation for the fulfilment of his/her mandate;• Requests the African Union to provide adequateresources, assistance and support in theimplementation of this Resolution.Banjul, The Gambia, 4 June 2004Recalling its decision to include on its agenda thesituation of human rights defenders and to nominate afocal point on human rights defenders;Now decides toappoint a Special Rapporteur on human rights defendersin Africa for a period of two years with the followingmandate:1. to seek, receive, examine and to act uponinformation on the situation of human rightsdefenders in Africa;• to submit reports at every Ordinary Session ofthe African Commission;59