1. Understanding the African Commission

Each Commissioner has a portfolio of countries under their mandates but the African Commission can also establish Special mechanisms (also called ‘subsidiary mechanisms’) to further work on certain thematic issues requiring special attention. Special mechanisms are established by the African Commission by consensus or voting when consensus fails. There are three types of Special mechanisms: Special Rapporteurs (individual mandate) and Committees and Working Groups (collective mandates, which may include both Commissioners and external members).

Listen to Commissioner Rémy Ngo Lumbu's video to learn more about the Special Mechanisms

_{Explanation of Special Mechanisms with Commissioner Rémy Ngo Lumbu (ACHPR)}

Special mechanisms mandates are held by Commissioners of the African Commission. They play a key role in developing new international human rights norms and standards on specific issues and collaborate with CSOs.

Defender Story

CSO advocacy - Establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression

Fatou Jagne Senghore, regional director of Article 19 West Africa was at the forefront of the development of important mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders through the African Commission. In 2002, with supporters of Freedom of Expression Movements, they organised consultations to get African CSOs and media organisations to provide their inputs and support on a declaration on freedom of expression. In October 2002, the ‘Declaration on Freedom of Expression in Africa’ was one of the strongest and most progressive at the time in terms of the standards it set. They continued the advocacy and consultations to get support and inputs from various institutions, including African Union Member States, UN human rights bodies, the Inter-American human rights organisations, and other human rights defenders. This has substantially contributed to the process of setting up a Special Mechanism, and in 2004, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression was established. This made the African Commission significantly more visible and active on the issue of freedom of expression and more relevant for free speech and press freedom defenders, among others, whereas this had previously not been the case as much.

_{Special Mechanisms of the African Commission (ACHPR)}

As of December 2024, the following Special Rapporteurs, Working Groups and Committees exist within the African Commission (12):

• Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa
• Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living With HIV (PLHIV) and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV
• Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities in Africa
• Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa
• Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violation
• Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa
• Working Group on Death Penalty, Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Africa
• Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa
• Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
• Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Focus

Working Group on Extractive Industries, the Environment, and Human Rights Violations

This working group was created in 2009. See Commissioner Dersso’s reflections to learn more about its importance in the context of today.

_{Short reflection video by African Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso on the Working Group on Extractive Industries, the Environment, and Human Rights Violations}