African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrant in Africa

The Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons was established by the ACHPR at its 35th Ordinary Session (Banjul, The Gambia - 21 May to 4 June 2004). Resolution 72 adopted at the 36th Ordinary Session ( Dakar, Senegal - 23 November - 7 December 2004) laid out the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, which calls for him or her to

seek , receive, examine, and act upon the situation of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons in Africa;
undertake studies, research and other related activities to examine appropriate ways to enhance the protection of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons;
undertake fact-finding missions, investigations, and visits to refugee camps and camps for internally displaced persons;
assist Member States of the African Union to develop appropriate policies, regulations and laws for the effective protection of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons;
cooperate and engage in dialogue with Member States, National Human Rights Institutions, relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies, international and regional mechanisms;
develop and recommend effective strategies to better protect rights;
raise awareness and promote the implementation of the UN Convention on Refugees of 1951 as well as the OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugees Problems in Africa; and
submit reports as every ordinary session of the African Commission on the situation of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons in Africa.

Resolution 95 of the 39th Ordinary Session, held in Banjul, The Gambia in May 2006, extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur to also include migration issues.

Maya Sahli-Fadel (Ms)

Special Rapporteur

Key Documents

Memorandum of Understanding between ACHPR adn UNHCR

Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the specific aspects of the Right to a Nationality and the Eradication of Statelessness in Africa

News

Declaration by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of the World Refugee Day, 2017

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of the Celebration of the International Migrants Day

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of World Refugee Day 2015

Press Releases

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa, on the occasion of the Celebration of World International Migrants Day

Press Release on the death of 60 Gambian migrants off the coast of Mauritania

Press release on the meeting of reflection and sensitization on the "draft protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Specific Aspects of the Right to Nationality and the Eradication of Statelessness in Africa" With a focus on the fight against statelessness for the North Africa region

Press release on the attack on a migrant detention center in Tadjourah

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of the Celebration of the International World Refugee Day

Press release on the sinking of a migrant boat off Tunisia

Press Release on Cyclone Idai and the subsequent flooding in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe

Joint Press Release on the Panel on the Situation of Migrants at Risk of Torture and other Ill-treatment in Africa: Alternative Approaches

Press Statement at the Conclusion of the Promotion Mission of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to the Republic of Guinea Bissau

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of the celebration of World Refugee Day, 2018

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the occasion of International Migrants Day

JOINT PRESS-RELEASE ON THE XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS ON MIGRANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Press Statement at the Conclusion of the Promotion Mission of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Press Release on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Promotion Mission to the Republic of Senegal

Press Release on the Promotion Mission to the Republic of Senegal

Press Release on the Promotion Mission to the Republic of Djibouti by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

Press release on the promotion mission to the Republic of Djibouti

Press Release on the Ratification of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) by the Republic of Congo

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the Occasion of the 2014 World Refugee Day Celebration

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the Occasion of the 2013 World Refugee Day Celebration

Joint Statement by UN Experts, the IACHR Rapporteur on the Rights of Migrants and the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants

Press Release by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the Occasion of the Entry into Force of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa

Press release on the human rights situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa on the Occasion of the World Refugee Day

Press Release for the African Union Special Summit on Refugees, Retournees, and Internally Displaced Persons

Press Release: Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons, and Migrants in Africa

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, IDPs and Migrants on the Violence in the Republic of Kenya

Press Release: Special Rapporteur on Refugees and Internally Displaced People

Statement by the Special Rapporteur on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, on the Tsunami Disaster and International Relief Efforts

Announcement

Video

Gallery

Usefull Links

Adopted Resolutions

Resolution on the renewal of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Special Mechanisms’ mandates - ACHPR/Res.425(LXV)2019 #425

Resolution on the Need to Conduct a Study on Violations of the Human Rights of Migrants - ACHPR/Res. 404 (LXIII) 2018 #404

Resolution on the Drafting of a General Comment on Article 12 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights - ACHPR/Res. 407 (LXIII) 2018 #407

Resolution on Mixed Migratory Flows, Challenges of Protecting Migrants and the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and all forms of Violence in North and Sub-Saharan Africa #398

Resolution on the Renewal of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.379(LXI)2017 #379

Resolution on the Renewal of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.318(LVII)2015 #318

Resolution on the drafting of a Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Right to Nationality in Africa - ACHPR/Res.277(LV)2014 #277

Resolution on the Situation of Women and Children in Armed Conflict - ACHPR/Res.283(LV)2014 #283

Resolution on the Renewal of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.246(LIV)2013 #246

Resolution Appointing the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.203(L)2011 #203

Resolution on the Appointment of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.187(XLIX)11 #187

Resolution on the Appointment of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants In Africa - ACHPR/Res.160(XLVI)09 #160

Resolution on the Situation of Migrants in South Africa - ACHPR/Res.131(XXXXIII)08 #131

Resolution on the Renewal of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa - ACHPR/Res.116(XXXXII)07 #116

Resolution on the Renewal of the Term and Extension of the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa - ACHPR/Res.95(XXXIX)06 #95

Resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa - ACHPR/Res.72(XXXVI)03 #72