Thursday October 23rd, 13:30 EAT,

Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Bijilo, Gambia

Africa is grappling with grave environmental crises of various scales and dimensions. The crises involve, among others, disproportionate and severe impacts from climate change, desertification and loss of biodiversity. Furthermore, widespread pollution and despoilation are stemming from development activities, particularly those linked to transnational companies and extractive industries. Studies have shown that the operations of large companies, particularly in the extractives sector, have huge potential for environmental impact. The ACHPR also established this in its jurisprudence.

The ACHPR is convening this panel to leverage this 85th Session and foster a critical dialogue to ensure environmental justice is central to Africa’s development agenda through the following objectives:

•To highlight the gravity and scale of the environmental crises on the continent, paying particular attention to the essence of Resolution 633 of 2025;

•Discuss case studies that illustrate environmentally related human rights violations being experienced due to the environmental crisis through the lens of Environmental Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs).

•Discuss the potential for the concept of Ecocide to be recognised as one avenue for fighting against conditions threatening the environment in Africa, including through designating the most severe environmental violations as international crimes;

•Discuss the effective remedies against environmental harm, particularly in the context of large-scale infrastructure and extractive projects and;

•Clarify the specific obligations of State Parties, drawing on State Reporting Guidelines and principles, and ask the critical question of how to respond to the magnitude of this crises with proportionate human rights mechanisms.

Speakers:

Hon. Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso (Chairperson of the Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights).

Hon. Ernest Yaw Anim, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Parliament of Ghana

Ms. Fiona Iliff, Human Rights Lawyer and Environmental Expert, American Bar Association

Mr Voke Ighorodje, Expert and Director of International Justice Program, Right Education Empowerment & Development Centre for Social Change (REED Centre).

Hosted by: African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights Violations.