On 1-3 October 2019, RWI officially launched our Regional Africa Programme (RAP). The three-day event emphasised the importance of ongoing cooperation in the region.
Celebrating the beginning of the Implementation Phase of the Programme, Senior Programme Officer, Chris Muthuri said the decision to launch the programme now came because of its unique structure. After a year and half-long Inception Phase, which involved collaboratively organising baseline studies and pilot activities, the next phase aims to realise a demonstrable improvement in access to justice for all and the implementation of human rights commitments in Africa.
To achieve this, RAP will cooperate with key regional actors that can follow-up and influence the implementation of human rights commitments in the region; and directly cooperate with bodies such as the African Union and Regional Economic Communities.
Getting to this point has not been easy. RAP is an ambitious programme that requires the coordination and consultation of several components and partners. However, it is interesting and fulfilling to witness the various levels of growth and change.
The key to success will be the strong network of organisations with the capacity to act together and individually to address key human rights challenges.
The first evening of the launch celebrated these integral connections.
It was a truly beautiful evening, and a testimony to the overwhelming support RWI Nairobi continues to receive from partners, human rights organisations, friends and fellow Nairobi-Based Swedish organisations.
On the second day of the launch, Lady Justice Tulijane Rose Chizumila of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and His Worship Yufnalis Okubo of the East African Court of Justice, led students and staff of the Kenyatta University School of Law on a panel discussion themed “Securing Human Rights Commitments through Regional Courts,” said Muthuri.
Throughout the three days, academic network members and implementing partners also had a chance to meet, evaluate the status of implementation, and strategically plan for potential activities for 2020 and beyond.
I look forward to growing with the Programme and seeing what tangible impacts we can achieve together. It will be an honour to meet and work with more people across the continent (and beyond) to share with the world the contribution African regional institutions are making to emerging jurisprudence on the realization of human rights, said Muthuri.
Find out more about the important work the Regional Africa Programme is doing here.