Joint Submission to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on its Draft Declaration on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Africa

On 20 May 2026, more than 20 African and international human rights organisations submitted a joint statement to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) regarding the Draft Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

We welcomed the initiative but raised serious concerns, along with clear recommendations:

• The draft conflates state actors with defenders, diluting the very definition of who a defender is. We recommend clarifying the definition to align with international standards, ensuring recognition is based on defenders’ work, not conformity to state or cultural expectations.
• Heavy emphasis on “African values” and “traditional values” remains vague and undefined. This vagueness risks being weaponised by states to silence dissent or target marginalised groups. We recommend removing such references from the Declaration and instead initiating a separate, inclusive consultation process to explore values in a way that strengthens rights.
• The draft relies on vague references to limitations and public order, which could legitimise repression. We recommend embedding clear safeguards against reprisals, surveillance, harassment, and arbitrary restrictions, with explicit obligations on states to protect defenders.

We believe the Declaration must stay true to its protective purpose: centring defenders’ rights, ensuring state accountability, and aligning with existing frameworks such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.