Maseru, Lesotho | 14 October 2026
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) is participating in the 48th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), taking place in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho, from 13 to 20 October 2026.
CFJ’s participation reflects its continued commitment to strengthening engagement with African human rights mechanisms, promoting accountability for violations against children, and ensuring that the experiences and concerns of children affected by human rights violations receive appropriate attention at the continental level.
During the session, CFJ is engaging with members of the African Committee, regional human rights stakeholders, civil society organisations, and child rights experts to advance dialogue on the implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and strengthen cooperation between independent civil society and African human rights institutions.
The organisation is particularly concerned with the protection of children exposed to arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, discrimination, and other violations affecting their fundamental rights, safety, and development. CFJ emphasises the importance of translating the obligations established under the African Charter into effective national legislation, public policies, independent monitoring mechanisms, and accessible remedies for children whose rights have been violated.
An important component of CFJ’s engagement during the session concerns the situation of children’s rights in Egypt, particularly in the context of the ACERWC’s consideration of Egypt’s periodic report under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
CFJ seeks to contribute an independent civil society perspective to this process, drawing attention to concerns regarding children affected by arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, and the conditions of prisons and detention facilities. The organisation also highlights the broader consequences of detention-related violations affecting parents and families, including their impact on children’s psychological well-being, access to education, family life, and development.
CFJ further draws attention to the situation of children belonging to religious minorities, including the Bahá’í community, stressing the importance of guaranteeing the rights of all children without discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, in accordance with Article 3 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Beyond the State reporting process, CFJ’s engagement builds on its broader efforts to strengthen access to African accountability mechanisms, including the communication submitted jointly with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights concerning alleged violations of children’s rights in Egypt. The organisation considers the African Committee’s State reporting procedure and communications mechanism essential and complementary avenues for assessing compliance with the African Charter, addressing systemic violations, and securing effective remedies for children.
Commenting on CFJ’s participation, Ahmed Mefreh, Executive Director of Committee for Justice, stated:
“Our participation in this session reflects our conviction that African human rights mechanisms must play a central role in protecting children and ensuring accountability for violations of their rights. In Egypt, the gap between legal commitments and the reality experienced by many children remains a serious concern. Children affected by arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, discrimination, or violations against their families must not remain invisible in national reporting processes. We believe that meaningful cooperation between independent civil society and African institutions is essential to ensuring that children’s voices are heard, violations are addressed, and States are held accountable for their obligations under the African Charter.”
Mefreh further emphasised that the African Committee’s consideration of Egypt’s periodic report provides an important opportunity to move beyond formal commitments and assess whether national legislation, policies, and practices offer effective protection to all children, particularly those facing heightened risks of discrimination, exclusion, and serious human rights violations.
CFJ views its participation in the 48th Ordinary Session as an opportunity to deepen institutional cooperation with the ACERWC, strengthen coordination between African human rights mechanisms and independent civil society organisations, and promote a more effective regional response to violations affecting children.
The organisation calls for greater attention to documented violations, stronger safeguards against discrimination, effective implementation of recommendations issued by African human rights bodies, and meaningful participation by independent civil society in regional monitoring and accountability processes.
CFJ reiterates that protecting children’s rights requires more than legislative commitments. It demands independent oversight, transparent investigations, accountability for violations, and practical measures to ensure that every child can enjoy their fundamental rights and access effective remedies.