NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 5 | ISLA CONVERSATIONS
AU Reforms Engagements
May 2026
By Fatou Bintou-Sallah and Mai Aman
From 17 to 19 November 2025, ISLA convened a three-day internal retreat which created space for honest reflection on how the organisation’s strong political analysis and credibility can be better supported by stronger internal systems. Discussions highlighted the need to improve coordination, documentation, and role clarity to match the growing scale and complexity of work across Strengthening Regional Mechanisms spaces. A detailed internal report was produced to help close gaps and strengthen collaboration across priority areas.
Between 19 and 21 November 2025, ISLA held targeted engagements in Addis Ababa with key institutional actors, including representatives from the Office of the AU Legal Counsel, the Namibian Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia, the Gambian Legal Counsel at the Embassy of The Gambia, and Ethiopian High Court Judge Eshetu Yadeta. These discussions advanced ongoing work on African Union institutional reforms, with a focus on Article 59(1) of the African Charter and the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG). Conversations explored confidentiality under Article 59(1), reform pathways within AU organs, and normative and procedural concerns raised in relation to CEVAWG.
During the same period, ISLA engaged two consultants to support its Strengthening Regional Mechanisms work. One consultancy focuses on developing legal and advocacy pathways to advance a progressive interpretation of Article 59(1). The second supports the identification and coordination of a core group of Member States willing to advance human rights priorities within AU policy and decision-making spaces.
The Article 59(1) Campaign, launched in May 2023 by the Litigants Group, brings together civil society and legal actors seeking to address challenges arising from the African Commission’s interpretation of Article 59(1). Key concerns include limited access to information for victims and civil society organisations, as well as unequal access between complainants and respondent states. After two years of engagement without resolution, the campaign is now exploring strategic pathways through the African Court, the African Commission, and the AU. The consultant supporting this work will lead legal analysis and strategy consultations to assess viable options for advancing reform.