The Committee for Justice (CFJ) will host a side event entitled “Strengthening Access to Justice and Accountability for Children in Africa” on 16 October 2026, alongside the 48th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) in Maseru, Lesotho. The event will take place from 17:30 to 19:00 local time at Machache Hall, Manthabiseng National Convention Centre, and will be conducted in English.
The event will bring together experts from African human rights mechanisms and civil society representatives to examine the legal, institutional and practical barriers preventing children from accessing justice and effective remedies. Discussions will explore ways to strengthen protection, ensure procedures respond to children’s rights and needs, and advance accountability for violations against them.
Key themes include child justice standards, the situation of children deprived of liberty and safeguards in detention, and the impact of armed conflict and displacement on access to justice. The event will also address access to healthcare and essential services for children in vulnerable situations, barriers relating to legal identity, documentation and discrimination, and the role of cooperation with civil society in strengthening protection and accountability.
Hon. Sabrina Gahar, Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, will moderate the discussion, with contributions from:
- Hon. Satang Nabaneh, Egypt Country Rapporteur, ACERWC.
- Hon. Joseph Sunday Sinnah, Special Rapporteur on Child Justice, ACERWC.
- Saba Haddad, Representative of the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office in Geneva.
- Sherif Azer, Director of Programs, Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF).
- Usame Mehmetoglu, Regional Officer, Committee for Justice (CFJ).
Speaker interventions will be followed by a moderated discussion and audience questions, concluding with key takeaways and practical recommendations. The event aims to identify steps to strengthen legal assistance, detention safeguards, child-sensitive procedures, access to services and effective remedies, while deepening cooperation between the ACERWC, civil society and relevant national and regional actors.
Through this event, CFJ seeks to support dialogue between child rights mechanisms and civil society organisations, helping translate protection standards into concrete measures that enable children to access justice and accountability without discrimination.
