3. Engaging with the African Commission during the sessions

Carefully consider your targets when participating in the African Commission sessions, as many stakeholders are part of it. Obviously, the Commissioners (they have a portfolio on countries) and/or Special mechanisms shall be in your radar as they deal with all the outputs that we’re studying in this module, but do not forget that the African Commission staff, African States, as well as other NGOs are actively participating. Finally, States from other continents, the European Union, and other international organisations are also observing the proceedings, so they can also be part of your target audience, especially if you combine this engagement with UN advocacy (see ISHR Academy UN modules).
We recommend you to list all the stakeholders in a ‘mapping’ and analyse the relations between them and your issue. Also, you can ask yourself the following:

• Which States or Commissioners are most supportive of the issues that you are working on?
• Which States or Commissioners have been critical of your government in the past?
• Which States or Commissioners have most influence at the African Commission, the AU, or on your government?
• Which States or Commissioners are likely to be unresponsive or in opposition to your case?

Holding meetings with Commissioners, government officials, and other key stakeholders is easy, as they will all be physically present in Banjul (or elsewhere, as is the case), but they will be busy! This can be a great time to make face-to-face contact, exchange business cards, and follow up by email or telephone later. Simply go up to them and ask them for a meeting during the session, or contact them beforehand for a better chance of success.

Remember that time is key, as your target might meet a lot of people during those sessions! Clearly define your reason/objective/purpose for requesting a meeting. For example, an upcoming thematic report, draft resolution, or an alert on a specific human rights situation or case in your country.

In particular, determine what exactly it is that you are asking for. Practice reducing your message to a 30-second ‘elevator pitch’ - that may be all the time you get!

Top tips

• At the beginning of the meeting, briefly introduce yourself and the work of your organisation
• Succinctly provide an overview of the issue you want to bring to their attention and the exact action you would like them to take
• Manage your emotions, even when addressing difficult human rights issues
• At the end of the meeting, do not forget to thank them for their time Finally, to maximise your chances of success in your engagement, make sure that your requests or recommendations to key stakeholders are SMART:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Look up potential ‘targets’ ahead of time on the Internet (biography, photos etc.). Do your research for anything (public statements, commitments, etc.) that may indicate they have previously expressed support for the issue you are raising again with them. Go for a diplomatic tone and demeanour, persuasive, professional, not confrontational.

Business cards, a report or briefing note on your issue, and pen and paper for yourself to take notes. The goal is not to weigh down your interlocutor with a bunch of documentation, but rather to provide them with the brief, focused information that they need. Remember that people are busy and most will not be able to read a 200-page report - have a 2-pager executive summary ready instead, including any SMART recommendations you may have. Also, consider offering a digital copy too, which can be a good excuse to follow up by email after a face-to-face meeting. Finally, if you have a side-event, do not forget to invite them!

Ask for their contact details and say you will provide further information. Keep contact by email when you go back home, as they’ll be more inclined to remind you, but be careful not to overload their email inboxes. For example, if your mailing list sends out several emails per week, do not add them to it (no mass mailing). You can also ask them to put you in touch with colleagues or contacts of theirs to continue your advocacy where relevant.