Mandlate unpacks the African protection of human rights

On 3 March, Dr Aquinaldo Mandlate from the Children’s Rights Project of the Community Law Centre (University of the Western Cape) spoke on the system of protection of human rights in Africa, during a two day workshop on human rights which took place in Luanda, Angola.

Dr Mandlate explored thoughts on the protection of human rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Banjul Charter), the Charter’s monitoring mechanism, and the challenges affecting the implementation of human rights in the continent.

The discussion also centered around questions on how civil society organisations can play a meaningful role engaging with human rights monitoring mechanisms in the continent. This was mainly in light of a forthcoming visit of members from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ rights to Angola.

He said the event was a platform for Angolan officials to further their understanding of human rights and to develop skills in the field.

Amongst other topics discussed were, the protection of human rights under the European system, codification of human rights under international law.

The event, hosted officials from the Department of Justice, diplomats from the Norwegian Embassy in Angola, member of Civil Society and students from the Agostinho Neto University as well as delegates from the International Law and Policy Institute (ILPI) – Oslo, Norway - who co-organised the event with the Law Faculty of Universidade Agostinho Neto, were also present.