African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies

The following some of the accomplishments of ACJPS in 2023:ADVOCACY PROGRAMMEACJPS and two additional Sudanese partners (1 male, one female) participated in the Sudan advocacy round held from February 27 to March 3, 2023 in Geneva. The delegation conducted a number of bilateral meetings with missions, including France, Norway, the EU Delegation, the USA, Finland, and Germany. Partners also met with Mr. Radhouane Nouicer, an expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan, and Mr. Zaki Othman, OHCHR Sudan desk officer.Additionally, ACJPS and other civil society partners delivered an oral statement during the Enhanced Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioners oral update. The statement condemned the military authorities violent suppression of peaceful protests which included the use of excessive and often lethal force against protestors, the repression of human rights defenders and the dissenting voices, the permissibility of cruel punishments under Sudanese law, the intensification of attacks on civilians and inter-communal violence in Darfur and in Blue Nile, as well as the failure of the Sudanese authorities to protect their citizens in those regions and the lack of accountability including for sexual and gender-based violence.On June 19, at the Irish Mission in Geneva, ACJPs and other civil society partners had a briefing session with different delegations including the United States, Luxembourg, Norway, Finland, EU Delegation, Germany the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden. The team also had a meeting with the Malawi delegation at their offices in Geneva. During these meetings, the team highlighted the current political and human rights development in Sudan and that more resolutions on Sudan might be required in the future. It was emphasized that the Council should stand ready to strengthen its action including by establishing an investigative mechanism into all alleged human rights violations in Sudan. ACJPS and its partners made it clear that as per its prevention mandate and resolution S-32/1, the council should stand ready to strengthen its action in support of human rights, accountability, and reforms in Sudan, including by establishing and investigative mechanism into all alleged human rights violations in Sudan, including the use of excessive and lethal force against peaceful protesters. On May 8, 2023, ACJPS alongside Open Society Foundations presented an oral statement on the impact of ongoing armed conflict on human rights in Sudan at the 75th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights. Mr. Amir Sulieman proceeded alongside the Sudan delegation and FIDH representatives to hold meetings with the ACHPR Commissioner on Sudan, Mr. Hatem Essaiem, and Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso. The delegation discussed the urgent need for the intervention of the ACHPR in ending the armed conflict in Sudan.From December 3 to December 13, ACJPS Executive Director and one of the ACJPS board members were able to both attend sessions of the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC and to meet bilaterally with several actors. They met with the Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC about the progress of the ICCs new investigations in Darfur and how civil society can collaborate with the court in these efforts. In addition, they were able to meet with the UN Secretary General, who was positive about the need for civilian participation in mapping the future of Sudan. They were also able to meet with the representatives of Brazil and France as members of the UN Security Council who were able to both hear the demands of our Sudanese colleagues and also give us insights on the dynamics of the council that can inform our future advocacy. The team also met with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to discuss how we could collaborate on monitoring. Furthermore, they participated in several side sessions at the ASP which allowed them to highlight the situation in Sudan to members of state parties as well as NGO colleagues.ACJPS also held a training workshop on advocacy from October 2 through October 5, 2023. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of twenty participants, including representatives from civil society organizations exiled in Uganda to effectively advocate for human rights within and outside Sudan and equip them with comprehensive knowledge of advocacy techniques, mechanisms for addressing human rights violations, and strategies suitable for engagement at national, regional, and international levels. The three-day training took place in Kampala with three partner organizations. The goals of the training session were to enhance advocacy skills, prepare advocacy communication, guide participants in developing advocacy communication and ensure sustainability. Legal ProgrammeACJPS held the Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop on Advocacy, Strategic Litigation and Legal Reform for the protection of civic space in Sudan from September 22 to 25, 2023. The event aimed to bolster support for Civil Society Organizations in Sudan by enhancing their advocacy efforts in legal reform, especially amid Sudans significant political and social upheavals. With a focus on lawyers and human rights advocates, the workshop equipped participants with essential knowledge and the skills for effective legal reform advocacy, including strategic litigation techniques. As part of the discussions, participants addressed the challenges faced by lawyers in Sudan, particularly during the conflict, and proposed solutions to mitigate these issues. Key recommendations included garnering international and regional support to end the conflict establishing emergency legal assistance systems, creating safe havens for at-risk lawyers, and advocating for stronger legal protections both domestically and internationally. The proposed solutions reflect the collective insights of the workshop attendees, emphasizing practical measures to support lawyers and legal professionals during times of conflict. By addressing these challenges, the workshop aimed to create a safer environment for the legal community to advance justice and human rightsTraining workshop on child rights The training, which was conducted from November 12 through the 14th, 2023 was attended by primary school and kindergarten teachers, parents, community leaders, community members, and local staff. The training covered several topics, including the right of a child to education, health, protection of children from violence, and rights of the girl child. Abuses such as harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation, child marriage, and sexual abuse, were also discussed. The rights of disabled children were also discussed. Female participants in the training were targeted with a special session on FGM. Part of the training also focused on the role of the locality teachers and staff in protecting children. The training also provided participants with essential skills to monitor the protection and promotion of the human rights of children within the community. One of the added values of the training was the participation of the staff of the locality in the training because it was a good opportunity for the community to discuss with them the need for them to play an active role in the well-being of the children and improve their access to basic needs.ACJPS conducted many other trainings and workshops in 2023 including documentation and protection workshop that focused on monitoring and documentation and physical and digital security of the monitors. A discussions session on human rights violations was also held. In addition, ACJPS published many urgent press releases and alerts on at risk populations.