The training seeks to expose participants to both international and continental mechanisms, while enriching their advocacy skills.
Moderating the closing session held at Metzy Hotel, Madam Hannah Forster, Executive Director of ACDHRS, praised the successful outcome of the initiative, adding that participants have gained deeper understanding of the commission's work and are now prepared to implement the knowledge gained in their respective fields.
Madam Forster expressed optimism that the strong networks and bonds formed during the training, is a testament to the event’s success.
The ACDHRS, she added, has trained over ten thousand participants across 45 African countries.
Expressing his gratitude, Mabassa Fall, Executive Committee Member of the ACDHRS Governing Council, acknowledged the importance of the convergence while encouraging participants to maintain strong networks so as to effectively address some emerging issues across the continent.
He emphasised the importance of protecting natural resources, while urging participants to enhance their advocacy strategies and familiarise themselves with various human rights mechanisms to hold states accountable.
Edmund Foley, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Commission, highlighted the need for active involvement in human rights advocacy, urging participants to spread the mission of ACDHRS and advance human rights across Africa.
Dr. Nana K.A. Busia, an Assistant Professor and Research Fellow at the University of London, explained that the challenges discussed during the training are universal and that can be resolved through collaborative efforts.
Pedro Rosa Co, Senior Legal Officer of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, commended the ACDHRS for organising such an important training and reiterated the commission's commitment to working with the participants to protect human rights and natural resources.
Delivering a vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, Longa Audrey, a participant from Cameroon, expressed gratitude to the Centre for the invaluable opportunity accorded them to learn and grow as advocates.
She stressed the need for Africans to live in peace and harmony to enable them harness the continent’s rich natural resources.
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Jainaba Johm, Vice Chair of The Gambia National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), encouraged participants to use the African Charter as a tool to defend human rights and emphasised that the most vulnerable, particularly the poor in rural areas, suffer the most from environmental degradation.
The training culminated in a ceremony where certificates were presented to all participants and facilitators by the dignitaries, marking their successful completion of the program.
