The role of human rights non-governmental organisations in the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development

Abstract

"The Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU Act) recognises in article 4(c) as one of its principles: 'participation of the people in the activities of the Union'. This principle could be implemented through, among others, the involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the activities of the AU. This study submits that NGOs will play a meaningful role in ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights by the AU and its institutions. The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is an economic programme of the AU. The NEPAD document outlines among other things the promotion and protection of human rights as a necessary precondition for the success of NEPAD. Therefore, a lot of NGO input is needed for the efective implementation of NEPAD's human rights ovjective as well. ... In addition to this introductory chapter, the study continues along the following outlines: the second chapter examines the legal basis and institutional framework of the African Union relating to human rights and the possibility of cooperation between NGOs and the different organs of the AU and NEPAD. Chapter three addresses the mandate of the African Commission for protection and promotion of human rights in Africa with the view of investigating what lessons can be learnt from this cooperation. This chapter focuses on the extent to which NGOs have contributed to the enhancement of the work of the African Commission. Chapter four highlights the role of NGOs in the UN system regarding the protection and promotion of human rights, with the view of drawing some inspirations and making recommendations of this experience to the AU. Chapter five sums up the general conclusions made in the study and makes some recommendations." -- Chapter 1.