Growing concerns over shrinking civil society space deliberated at ICASA 2017

Photo: Activists storm the opening ceremony to voice concerns at ICASA 2017

“The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) resolution for human rights defenders affirms that human rights protections under the African Charter are enjoyed by all including human rights defenders in context of HIV & key populations” Hon. Commissioner Soyata Maiga chairperson of the ACHPR.

These remarks were made at a meeting held on 7 December 2017 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, at Satellite session at the margins of the 19th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa. The meeting was a consultation on HIV, human rights and the law. It was organized by International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in partnership with UNAIDS, the ACHPR and many other national, regional and global based civil society organisations. The meeting had the following objectives:

  1. To share progress in addressing key HIV-related legal and human rights issues in Africa;
  2. To identify opportunities to scale up human rights and legal services and programs in the region;
  3. To build on and strengthen strategic partnerships for collaboration and resource mobilization; and
  4. To propose next steps to build momentum for scale up of human rights-based responses in the region.

Allan Maleche and Onyango Ondeng represented KELIN at this meeting. Mr Maleche gave highlights on the shrinking space for civil society and targeting of civil society, activists and lawyers working on human rights in the region. He also chaired a session titled: “From Challenging to Solutions: Initiatives and Programmes to address Human Rights challenges” where Ms Annabel Raw of Southern Africa Litigation Center (SALC) gave updates on behalf of ARASA, KELIN, Enda Sante and UNDP Africa Regional office on the progress made in implementation of a regional grant focusing on removing legal barriers on HIV and TB in ten African countries.

Photo: Dr. Laurel Sprague, Executive Director – GNP+ speaking, to the work that youth are doing to address HIV criminalization

The meeting reviewed old and new challenges, stressed good practices and called for expanding them including through funding. The meeting also called for continued collaboration between civil society and all other actors present including the judiciary, national human rights institutes, media, academic institutions and religious leaders among others. The meeting was marked by the participation of the Hon. Commissioner Soyata Maiga, chairperson of the ACHPR. She participated throughout and called for more engagement between civil society and the ACHPR.

To contribute to the discussion and for live updates follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hash tag #ICASA2017

Twitter: @KELINkenya

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya

 

For more information contact:

Allan Maleche

Executive Director

Mombasa Road, Somak building 4th Floor

P O Box 112 – 00200 KNH Nairobi,

Tel: +254-020-2515790 │Mobile: +254708389870

E-mail: amaleche@kelinkenya.org

Website: www.kelinkenya.org