Africa: As it turns 20, the African Court needs more support for its human rights mandate across the continent

17 July 2026

Also available in العربية

African Union (AU) member states must ensure full political, legal and financial support for the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court), to enable it to effectively carry out its mandate to protect human rights, Amnesty International said today as it launched a new report marking the Court’s 20th anniversary.

Released on World Day for International Justice, the report, ‘20 years of the African Court – Protect the Court, Protect the People’, examines the successes achieved and the challenges faced in two decades by the Court, which serves as an important regional judicial avenue for individuals and civil society organizations.

Yet despite the African Court’s crucial role in delivering justice, only 34 of the AU’s 55 member states have ratified the protocol establishing the regional human rights court. And as of July 2026, only seven allow individuals and NGOs to directly submit complaints to the Court.