Human Rights is Everybody’s Business

It is a well known fact that human rights violations happened in many of our countries around our continent and this is why all hands must be on deck by all and sundry that we as a people do all it takes in tackling the respect for the human rights . The 45th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) is underway at the Kairaba Beach Hotel and the two-week session that brought together member states of the African Union, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), International Organisations (IGOs) and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) under the theme ‘Human Rights, a Collective Responsibility,’ with a view to discuss human rights issues confronting the continent as well as to develop systems and strategic solutions to bring to a halt those human rights problems, is not only timely but also topical as human right violations continue to take place in our various countries. Human rights violations should be a concern to everyone no matter where you are and this is why the Commission has called on countries to promote and improve human rights. The Chairperson of the ACHPR, Justice Sanji Mmasenono Monageng, said that it is a collective responsibility to ensure that various governments respect and implement the ideals of the Africa Charter.

During the first week, the ACHPR will sit in public session and look at overall human rights situation in the continent through statements from member states NHRIs, IGOs and NGOs.

The ACHPR will also review the human rights situation in individual member states through an examination of human rights reports presented by some of these states, namely; Mauritius, Benin and Uganda.We hope at the end of the forum member states will not only present resolutions for the sake of it, but will act on them in trying to end any human rights violations in our continent.