26–30 August 2024, Accra, Ghana – The APRM participated as a panelist in the third Data for Governance Alliance stakeholder convening on enhancing human rights in Africa, organized by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the Data for Governance Alliance (D4GA), and a consortium of civil society organizations in West Africa and their partners. Key thematic areas of this convening included human rights, education, elections, transitional justice, peace and security in Africa, and climate change.
The APRM was represented by Mr. Peter Katwesige from the M& E Directorate, who was joined by delegates from other AGA Platform members, including the Economic, Social & Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), the Africa Youth Envoy, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The convening aimed to enhance collaboration between the AU African Governance Architecture (AGA) organs and Pan-African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to advance governance, democracy, and human rights across the continent. The convening also provided an overview on the State of Climate change in Africa, this offered a clear linkage with the fourth- coming African Governance Report on Natural Governance Resources in Africa, during the plenary sessions, CSOs were urged to address the conversation on climate change and security needs, as it is no longer a scientific data but is a human rights issue, and a call to AU Organs to facilitate high-level conversations and track the status of adherence of climate resilience frameworks adopted by Member States.
During the convening, the APRM underscored the importance of collaboration among African citizens, civil society organizations (CSOs), and regional and continental African Union bodies to build a resilient and prosperous Africa. This collective effort would help achieve “The Africa We Want” as outlined in the AU Agenda 2063. In this context, the APRM highlighted various avenues for promoting CSO participation and active contribution to enhancing governance and driving socio-economic transformation across the continent.
The APRM representative also emphasized the importance of grounding advocacy in data and moving beyond policymaking to implement a range of advocacy tools. This approach aims to enhance collaboration between CSOs and AU organs, while staying aligned with the principles of AU Agenda 2063 and the promotion of Sustainable Development Goals.
