ISLA AT THE 89th Ordinary Session

Beyond Dakar: Defending Africa’s Human Rights Gains and Advancing Collective Action

The 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), held in Dakar, Senegal, in October 2026, brought together civil society organisations, human rights defenders, feminist movements and other stakeholders to engage on pressing human rights issues across the continent. 

Against the backdrop of growing threats to Africa’s human rights architecture, the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA), alongside its partners, convened and participated in several strategic engagements aimed at defending existing protections, strengthening accountability and advancing collective advocacy. 

Our engagements focused on key priorities, including:

• Advancing a progressive interpretation of Article 59(1) of the African Charter to promote transparency and access to justice.
• Engaging Member States on the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG) and the need to safeguard existing protections under the Maputo Protocol.
• Confronting anti-rights movements and efforts to undermine Africa’s regional human rights framework.
• Strengthening collaboration among litigants, feminist lawyers and civil society organisations to advance strategic litigation and institutional accountability.
• Defending reproductive rights and strengthening feminist litigation networks across Francophone Africa.
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As we reflect on the engagements in Dakar, one message remains clear: protecting Africa’s human rights gains requires sustained vigilance, strong institutions and coordinated collective action. 

Our latest communiqué captures the key discussions, outcomes and priorities for continued engagement beyond the 89th Session. 

Read the full communiqué to learn more about ISLA’s engagements and the work ahead.