The African Commission has established several special mechanisms — including Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups — to address specific thematic human rights issues. Some of the most relevant bodies to consider in your work on environmental advocacy are:
Special mechanisms of the African Commission (ACHPR)
Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment, and Human Rights Violations in Africa: They examine the human rights impacts of extractive activities, including mining, oil, and gas projects. Its work focuses on issues such as environmental harm, land rights, community participation, and accountability of both States and companies. This working group is key to raising concerns and expanding understanding of the links between corporate accountability, access to information, environmental harm, and EHRDs' protection.
Working Group on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Minority Groups in Africa: If your work involves Indigenous Peoples or minority communities, this mandate may be a useful avenue for your advocacy. The Rapporteur focuses on protecting groups whose rights may be affected by development projects, land dispossession, or environmental harm. You can raise concerns related to land rights, participation in decision-making, or the protection of traditional territories and livelihoods.
Working Group for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: They have a broad mandate, including developing guidelines on topics such as the right to water, the right to food, or the right to freedom of association.
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa: If you are facing threats, harassment, criminalisation, or other risks because of your human rights work, you may consider engaging with this mandate. The Rapporteur monitors the situation of defenders across Africa and works to strengthen protection frameworks. You can share information about violations, alert the mandate to emerging risks, or contribute to broader efforts to improve protection for defenders. In practice, the Special Rapporteur has used their role to issue resolutions to uphold the rights of EHRDs in specific countries, such as this case in Uganda.
Special mechanisms can publish thematic or country reports on specific human rights situations. They rely on information from civil society organisations as one of their main sources for their findings, recommendations, and engagement with States, sometimes organising consultations. You can engage with these mechanisms by sharing information about the issues you are working on and pushing for the publication of a report and thematic studies thereon.
In your information submission, you may include case documentation that highlights emerging risks or provides analysis of broader trends affecting communities and defenders, as part of your advocacy toolkit. This is to ensure that your submission is backed by evidence which makes it easier to verify your claim and to act on. The information can be sent to [email protected], and we recommend that you also request a meeting to establish sustainable, long-lasting relationships.
More information can be found on the ISHR Academy module.
Now we will move to the Latin American continent, starting with the Inter-American system.
