Draft Agenda

DRAFT AGENDA OF THE 39TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS

(From 11th to 25th May 2006, Banjul, The Gambia.)

Item 1: Opening Ceremony (Public Session)

Item 2: Adoption of the Agenda (Private Session)

Item 3: Organisation of Work (Private Session)

Item 4: Human Rights Situation in Africa (Public Session)

• Statements by State Delegates and Guests;
• Statements by Intergovernmental Organisations;
• Statements by National Human Rights Institutions; and
• Statements by NGOs.

Item 5: 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:

• Relationship with National Human Rights Institutions; and
• Consideration of applications for affiliate status from National Human Rights Institutions.

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

• Relationship with NGOs; and
• Consideration of applications of NGOs for Observer Status.  

Item 6: Consideration of State Reports (Public Session):

• Status of Submission of State Party Reports
• Consideration of -:
• The Initial Report of Seychelles;
• The Periodic Report of Cameroon;
• The Periodic Report of Libya; and
• The Initial Report of the Central African Republic

Item 7: 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 8: Promotion Activities (Public Session)

• Presentation of the Activity Reports of the Chairperson and Members of the African Commission;
• Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Conditions of Detention in Africa;
• 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;
• Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa;
• Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa;
• Presentation of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Expression in Africa;
• Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Implementation of the Robben Island Guidelines;
• Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Situation of Indigenous Peoples/Communities in Africa;
• Presentation of the Report of the Chairperson of the Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural rights in Africa;
• Presentation of the Report of the Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the African Commission;
• Report of the Working Group on the Death Penalty; and
• Organisation of Conferences and Seminars.

Item 9: Appointment/Renewal of the term of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally displaced Persons in Africa (Private Session)

Item 10: Consideration and Adoption of draft Reports (Private Session)

• Consideration and adoption of mission reports of the African Commission:
• Draft Reports on the Promotional Missions to Burundi, Rwanda and Mali;
• Draft Report of the Missions of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa to Democratic Republic of Congo and Cape Verde;
• Draft Report of the Fact-finding Mission to Togo;
• Draft reports of the mission of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities to Niger; and
• Other Mission reports

• Consideration and adoption of -:
• The final report of the Working Group on Specific Issues Relevant to the Work of the African Commission; and
• The final draft Guidelines on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Item 11: Establishment of a Hotline on Prisons in Africa : Modalities of Status of Establishment and operationalisation of the Hotline on Prisons in Africa(Private Session)

 Item 12: Consideration of: (Private Session)

• The Working Document on the relationship between the African Commission and the proposed African Court of Justice and Human Rights; and
• The Paper on Locus standi before the African Commission

 Item 13: Protection Activities: (Private Session)

Consideration of Communications  

Item 14: Methods of Work of the African Commission: (Private Session)

• Review of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary Executions and Extra-Judicial Killings in Africa;
• Follow-up, implementation and publication of the African Commission’s decisions, resolutions and recommendations; and
• Matters arising from the consideration of the 19 th Activity Report of the African Commission by the 8 th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (20 th - 21 st January 2006) and the 6 th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (23 rd - 24 th January 2006) in Khartoum, Sudan.

 Item 15: Administrative and Financial Matters: (Private Session)

• Report of the Secretary on the administrative and financial situation of the African Commission and its Secretariat; and
• Construction of the Headquarters of the African Commission.

Item 16: Consideration and Adoption of Recommendations, Decisions, and Resolutions including: (Private Session):

• Recommendations of the NGO Forum; and
• Concluding Observations on the initial reports of Seychelles and the Central African Republic and the periodic reports of Cameroon and Libya.

 Item 17: Dates and Venue of the 40 th Ordinary Sessionof the African Commission (Private Session)

Item 18: Any Other Business (Private Session)

Item 19: Adoption of the 20 th Activity Report of the African Commission, the report of the 39 th Ordinary Session and Final Communiqué of the 39 th Ordinary Session (Private Session)

Item 20: Reading of the Final Communiqué and Closing Ceremony (Public Session)

Item 21: Press Conference (Public Session)