The African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA) wishes to inform its members, partners and other stakeholders of the suspension, until further notice, of the Southern and Central Africa capacity building trainings, as well as the side event scheduled to take place during the 66th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
ACCA is closely monitoring the public health crisis and will keep members posted. The Secretariat reassures all the members that substantive preparations for the trainings are continuing.
As a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), ACCA urges governments to respect, promote and fulfil the right to physical and mental health of its people in accordance with article 16 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Governments must without delay take the necessary precautions and measures to effectively combat the spread of the pandemic and to ensure that their health systems are in a state of readiness. While recognising the unprecedented challenges to States caused by the pandemic, any restrictions to the rights and freedoms of individuals and groups must comply with the principle of necessity and proportionality. Moreover, as this situation is likely to have a lasting effect on the economies of affected countries, ACCA reminds governments that any substantive economic measures must be taken after a careful human rights assessment and must be consistent with their human rights obligations.
We also urge citizens to respect everyone’s right to health by personally adopting precautionary measures, such as washing of one’s hands and social distancing, as prescribed by the World Health Organisation. ACCA members, together with other CSOs, undertake to make use of their arsenal of skills in advocacy or their role as watchdogs to ensure and report on governmental and citizen adherence to health safety guidelines.
For more information, please contact:
Sâ Benjamin Traoré (
Lyse Mpema (communications@
+27 (0)12 420 4531