Held on Friday 14 March 2025 at the International Conference Centre (OIC) in Senegambia, this strategic dialogue was facilitated and spearheaded by the Regional Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator in West Africa for ENACT – Enhancing Africa’s response to transnational organised crime - a project funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in partnership with INTERPOL and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC).
The dialogue specifically identified key gaps and challenges in the ACHPR’s current approach to addressing TOC, particularly in its engagement with CSOs, including legal, operational, and resource-related challenges.
It also explored ways to expand existing work between the ACHPR and CSOs to include TOC-related human rights violations, and it further identified (champions) focal points, groups or agents to take forward the outcomes of discussions from the ACHPR and CSOs.
TOCs, which are organised cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, arms smuggling and cybercrime, pose a significant threat to human rights across Africa, undermining governance, security and development.
“The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) plays a critical role in promoting and protecting human rights in the face of these threats,” stated Dr Feyi Ogunade, the Regional Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator in West Africa for ENACT. “CSOs partner with ACHPR in support of this work as well as advocating for the rights of people and challenging the current responses,” he explains the nexus between the CSOs and ACHPR.
CSOs are critical stakeholders in promoting human rights and advocating for recourse when violations occur, Dr Ogunade underscores, highlighting the collaborative efforts between the ACHPR and CSOs, which require further strengthening to close gaps and tackle TOCs.
“While many organised crimes also result in human rights violations there is a gap in responding to these violations with a human rights-based approach, including in the obligations of states to promote these, and protect citizens against the harms,” he emphasised.
The ACHPR and CSO dialogue debated the fact that TOC is a denial of human rights as it directly infringes upon a wide range of human rights, such as Right to Life (Article 4 of the ACHPR), Right to Dignity (A5), Freedom from Slavery and Forced Labour (A5), Right to Security of Person (A6), Right to Health (A16), and Right to Development (A22).
“While law enforcement and security-focused approaches are essential for addressing the criminal aspects of TOC, a complementary human rights-based approach is crucial for addressing the root causes of vulnerability, ensuring effective protection for victims, and promoting accountability,” Dr Ogunade stated, saying CSOs play a vital role in this regard.
“TOC knows no boundaries,” a representative of the EU Ambassador-designate to The Gambia told the gathering, calling for more collaboration between ACHPR, CSOs and member states to combat such crimes and human rights.
ACHPR Executive Secretary Abiola Idowu-Ojo gave a succinct account of the genesis, mandate, and strong CSO collaborations of the African Commission despite the Commission grappling resources challenges.
Papers on CSOs’ work, services, challenges and collaborations were presented by various heads of CSOs and NGOs such as Sadikh Niass of the NGO Forum, Mansour Jobe, Legal & Investigation director and Dr Saikou Kawsu Gassama, Executive Secretary of the NHRC, and Michael Oko-Davies of Public-Private Integrity.
The function and dialogue was moderated by Justice Momodou S. Jallow of the Gambia High Court, who appeals: “Let’s fight TOCs; when we do it for The Gambia, we are doing it for Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and other countries of Africa.”
