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Rabat Named Permanent Secretariat for Africa’s Torture Prevention Network

Saturday 29 June 2024 - 14:30

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In a significant move highlighting Morocco’s influential role in human rights advocacy across Africa, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) of Morocco has been chosen to host the permanent secretariat of the African Network of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) for the prevention of torture. This notable decision was formalized during the second African International Conference of NPMs, which convened in Cape Town on June 26 and 27.

The CNDH, in a detailed statement, underscored that the conference signified a critical juncture in Africa’s ongoing effort to eradicate torture and uphold human dignity. Delegates from numerous African nations came together to endorse a statute that establishes a regional institutional framework. This framework is designed to unify national human rights institutions and independent national preventive mechanisms in a concerted effort to combat torture across the continent.

The decision to position Rabat as the headquarters for this crucial network underscores Morocco’s prominent role in advocating for human rights within Africa. During its initial two-year term, the CNDH will lead the network, with the South African Human Rights Commission serving as vice president.

In this foundational phase, the network aims to create dynamic operational structures, foster collaborative efforts among member states, and coordinate regional activities. Additionally, the network will focus on capacity building, providing technical support, and promoting the exchange of best practices to enhance national mechanisms aimed at preventing torture throughout Africa.

CNDH President Amina Bouayach, in her opening and closing addresses at the event, commended the collective dedication of African human rights defenders. She lauded their shared commitment to torture prevention, as evidenced by the Cape Town conference and the earlier historic Marrakech meeting in 2023.

“This initiative embodies our shared vision of a continent that respects and protects the dignity of every individual,” Bouayach remarked, emphasizing the crucial nature of sustainable, institutional African cooperation to ensure the preservation of human rights.

The Cape Town conference built upon the foundations laid by the Marrakech Declaration, adopted in June 2023. This declaration, a product of an international conference hosted by CNDH, called for the creation of the African Network of NPMs. The CNDH statement highlighted that the declaration represented a “strong, united” commitment by national human rights institutions and independent mechanisms across Africa to prevent torture.

Furthermore, the Cape Town conference witnessed the formal signing of the Marrakech Declaration, solidifying the network’s establishment. It was also announced that the NPMs of Morocco, South Africa, Mauritania, Senegal, Cape Verde, and Mozambique will be tasked with implementing the network’s strategic plans over the next two years as the initial supervisory committee members.