African Court marks 20 years amid calls for stronger AU support on human rights

African Union (AU) member states should strengthen political, legal and financial support for the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to ensure it can effectively protect human rights across the continent, Amnesty International said.

The rights organization made the call in a report released to coincide with World Day for International Justice and the Court’s 20th anniversary, warning that limited state support continues to restrict access to regional justice for millions of Africans.

The report, titled 20 Years of the African Court – Protect the Court, Protect the People, says the Court has become a vital judicial avenue for individuals and civil society organizations seeking justice when domestic legal systems fail to provide effective remedies for human rights violations.

Despite its growing influence, only 34 of the AU’s 55 member states have ratified the protocol establishing the Court. As of July 2026, only seven countries have also made the declaration allowing individuals and non-governmental organizations to file cases directly before the Court, according to Amnesty International.

The African Court is an essential judicial avenue for individuals and civil society organizations who cannot obtain prompt, effective and adequate remedy for human rights violations in their own countries.— Japhet Biegon, Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Amnesty International.

He urged all AU member states to ratify the Court’s founding protocol and allow direct access for individuals and NGOs, saying broader participation would strengthen the institution’s ability to safeguard human rights across Africa.

The African Court, which became operational in 2006, has concluded more than 250 cases, including nearly 150 judgments determining whether states had violated one or more human rights, according to the report.

Its rulings have covered issues including fair trial rights, protection against torture and ill-treatment, the rights of detainees and election-related disputes.

Landmark judgments.

Cases cited by Amnesty International.

• 2014Rulings against Burkina Faso reinforced media freedom and accountability for attacks on journalists.2017A decision recognized the land rights of Kenya’s Ogiek Indigenous community.2023A judgment against Côte d’Ivoire advanced environmental protection and the right to health following the dumping of toxic waste.2025A ruling involving Tanzania addressed discrimination and attacks against people with albinism.

However, Amnesty said limited access to the Court has resulted in relatively few cases from Central, North and Southern Africa, creating regional imbalances in its case law and limiting its reach across the continent.