Article 59(1) Campaign

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Introduction to the Article 59(1) Campaign

The Article 59(1) Campaign is a collective initiative coordinated by the Litigants Group—a network of civil society and legal actors committed to strengthening the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). The campaign seeks to advocate for a more progressive interpretation of Article 59(1) of the African Charter, which currently imposes blanket confidentiality over the communications procedure of the ACHPR.

Membership in the Campaign is open to civil society organizations (CSOs), legal practitioners, and advocates for human rights who share the vision of reinforcing transparency, access to information, and the right to a fair and public trial in Africa

What Members Do

Members of the Article 59(1) Campaign are actively engaged in various coordinated activities structured under four key strategies:

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Knowledge Production

Members contribute to research, drafting, and dissemination of key advocacy documents, including concept notes and legal analyses.

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Stakeholder Engagement

Members participate in strategic advocacy before the ACHPR. For example; During sessions of the Commission, they include Article 59(1) in their oral interventions, highlighting its human rights implications.

Additionally, members conduct outreach to stakeholders at the United Nations level, including special rapporteurs and other mandate holders. These engagements focus on thematic issues that are negatively impacted by the restrictive interpretation of Article 59(1), such as the right to a fair trial, access to justice, freedom of expression, and protection of human rights defenders.

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Public Engagement

Members help raise awareness of the issue by presenting the campaign in public forums, conferences, and side events. For example, the campaign was introduced at a University of Pretoria-hosted conference and at a side event during the 77th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR .

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Coordination and Meetings

Members participate in regular (monthly) meetings, coordinated by ISLA, to monitor progress, strategize, and align advocacy actions. A dedicated mailing list (article59@the-isla.org) was created to facilitate communication among members.