Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH) will host the permanent secretariat of the African Network of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) for the prevention of torture. The decision was ratified during the second African International Conference of NPMs, held in Cape Town on June 26 and 27.
CNDH said in a statement that the conference marked a significant milestone in Africa’s commitment to eradicating torture and protecting human dignity. Delegates from various African countries endorsed the statute for a regional institutional framework. This framework will aim to unite national human rights institutions and independent national preventive mechanisms to combat torture across the continent.
The statement added that the decision to make Rabat the headquarters for the network underlines Morocco’s leading role in human rights advocacy in Africa. The CNDH will preside over the network for its inaugural two-year term, while the South African Human Rights Commission will serve as vice president.
During this initial phase, the network aims to establish dynamic operational structures, facilitate joint efforts among member states, and coordinate regional activities. The network will also focus on capacity building, technical support, and the exchange of best practices to strengthen national mechanisms for torture prevention in Africa.
In her opening and closing remarks at the event, CNDH President Amina Bouayach highlighted the collective dedication of African human rights defenders. She praised their shared commitment to preventing torture, reflected in both the Cape Town conference and the historic Marrakech meeting in 2023.
Read also: CNDH to Present Post-Earthquake Assessment of Children’s Rights Protection
“This initiative embodies our shared vision of a continent that respects and protects the dignity of every individual,” Bouayach said. She emphasized the importance of sustainable, institutional African cooperation to ensure human rights are upheld.
The Cape Town conference built on the foundations set by the Marrakech Declaration, adopted in June 2023. This declaration, resulting from an international conference hosted by CNDH, called for the establishment of the African Network of NPMs. The statement added that this declaration represented a “strong, united” commitment to torture prevention by national human rights institutions and independent mechanisms across Africa.
The conference in Cape Town also saw the formal signing of the Marrakech Declaration, aimed at solidifying the network’s establishment. It elected the NPMs of Morocco, South Africa, Mauritania, Senegal, Cape Verde, and Mozambique will be responsible for implementing the network’s strategic plans over the next two years as the first supervisory committee members.
