A Handbook for Advocacy in the African Human Rights System Advancing Reproductive Andand Sexualsexual Healthhealth
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A handbook for advocacy in the African human rights system Advancing reproductive andand sexualsexual healthhealth Second Edition 2006 Ipas P.O. Box 5027 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 USA 1-919-967-7052 [email protected] www.ipas.org Ipas Africa Alliance for Women's Reproductive Health and Rights Post Office Box 1192 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya phone: 254.20.387.7239 fax: 254.20.387.6198 email: [email protected] ©2006 Ipas ISBN: 1-933095-03-2 Suggested citation: Ipas. 2006. A Handbook for Advocacy in the African Human Rights System — Advancing Reproductive and Sexual Health, 2nd Edition. Chapel Hill, NC, Ipas. Cover Design: Valerie Holbert and Evangeline Christie Printed on recycled paper. SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS Detailed Table of Contents ....................................................................................................... ii Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. ix Preface and Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... xii Part I 1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1 2. Reproductive and Sexual Health in Africa .......................................................................... 9 3. The International Human Rights System............................................................................. 32 4. Reproductive and Sexual Health and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 45 5. The African Human Rights System ..................................................................................... 58 6. Interpreting Rights in Domestic Courts and Under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights .................................................................................................................... 81 Part II 7. Basic African Texts.............................................................................................................. 104 Part III 8. African Regional Declarations, Resolutions and Decisions ................................................ 175 9. Resolutions Adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights............ 193 10. Other Interpretive Documents.............................................................................................. 204 Part IV 11. Resources for the Protection of Reproductive and Sexual Rights .................................... 312 12. Other Resources: Print and Website Sources.................................................................... 315 i DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary................................................................................................................. ix Preface and Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. xii Part I 1. Introduction........................................................................................................................ 1 How to Use This Book......................................................................................................... 1 Why Use a Human Rights Approach?................................................................................. 3 Why Focus on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights? ......................... 3 Challenges to the Effective Protection of Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights in Africa ................................................................................................................................... 4 Opportunities for Steps Forward.......................................................................................... 4 2. Reproductive and Sexual Health in Africa...................................................................... 9 Advocacy Basics………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Understanding the Reproductive and Sexual Health Context.............................................. 11 HIV/AIDS............................................................................................................................ 12 Pregnancy-Related Ill-Health............................................................................................... 16 Obstetric Fistula…………………………………………………………………………... 18 Unsafe Abortion…………………….………………………..…………………………… 20 Prostitution………………………………………………………………………………... 22 Female Genital Cutting (FGC)............................................................................................. 22 Sexual Violence ................................................................................................................... 26 Early Marriage ..................................................................................................................... 28 Marriage Age ....................................................................................................................... 29 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 31 ii 3. The International Human Rights System........................................................................ 32 What Are Human Rights?.................................................................................................... 33 The United Nations and the Development of International Human Rights Standards........ 33 Sources of Human Rights and Obligations to Implement Human Rights ........................... 34 United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies ..................................................................... 35 Regional Human Rights Systems ........................................................................................ 42 Using the Regional or International Human Rights Systems .............................................. 43 4. Reproductive and Sexual Health and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights…………………………………………………………………………………….. 45 Placing Reproductive and Sexual Rights in a Human Rights Framework .......................... 45 What is Reproductive and Sexual Health?........................................................................... 45 How Do Human Rights Relate to Reproductive and Sexual Health?.................................. 47 The African Charter and Human Rights Relevant to Reproductive and Sexual Health...... 48 The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights .......................................................... 48 Challenges to Using a Human Rights Approach ................................................................. 49 Applying the African Charter and the Protocol on the Rights of Women to Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues ..................................................................................................... 50 a) Reproductive Choice............................................................................................... 51 b) Adequacy of and Access to Health Services........................................................... 54 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 56 5. The African Human Rights System ................................................................................. 58 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 59 Regional Human Rights System .......................................................................................... 60 iii The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights .................................................. 60 The Functions of the African Commission…………………………………………... 62 a) Rules of Procedure.................................................................................................. 63 b) African Commission Sessions ................................................................................ 63 c) Consideration of State Reports ............................................................................... 64 d) Communication Procedures .................................................................................... 65 e) Other African Commission Functions .................................................................... 69 The African Union and the Current Human Rights System……………………………… 69 The African Regional Human Rights System under the OAU (Flow Chart) ……………. 71 The African Regional Human Rights System under the African Union (Flow Chart)……………………………………………………………………………………... 72 Preparing Documents to Submit to the African Commission.............................................. 72 Submitting a Communication to the African Commission.................................................. 72 Preparing a “Shadow Report” for the African Commission State Reporting Procedure..... 79 6. Interpreting Rights in Domestic Courts and Under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights…………………………………………………………………….. 81 Part I: National Interpretation of Domestic Law ................................................................ 83 Part II: National Interpretation of the African Charter and International Law................... 89 Part III: African Commission’s Interpretation of the African Charter ............................... 94 Admissibility Requirements.......................................................................................... 94 Provision of Adequate Information………………………………………………….. 94 Exhaustion of Local Remedies………………………………………………………. 95 Non-Discrimination and Equality Rights.....................................................................