African Court support calls for resilient educational system

The African Court on Human and People’s Rights has emphasized the need to build resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.

The President of the African Court, Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, noted this during the opening of the 2024 Judicial Year of the African Court in Arusha, Tanzania, which was on the general theme “Enhancing the Justiciability of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, with an Emphasis on the Right to Education.”

She noted that the theme sits squarely with the African Union theme for 2024, which is “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

Lady Justice Aboud's speech was made available to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult), which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organization based in Tema, Ghana.

She noted that the theme also aligns squarely with Sustainable Development Goal 4 to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030.

“This theme is also in line with the proposal made by the United Nations Secretary-General to be considered during the Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow, to be held on September 22–23 this year in New York.

“In Policy Brief No. 10, titled ‘Transforming Education’, the Secretary-General called for a shared vision on education and urged on Member States to build a comprehensive and integrated system of education and lifelong learning in a world of uncertainty; ensure equality and inclusion in and through education,” she quoted.

The African Court President recounted that on January 24, the world celebrated the International Day of Education on the theme "learning for lasting peace."

She said the African Court aligned itself with the UN position that education possesses great power in addressing and preventing the most significant global challenges, including climate change, persistent inequalities, conflict, and more.

Lady Justice Aboud commended the UN for emphasizing the centrality of education, which articulated that learning for peace, for instance, must be a transformative process to enable learners to gain essential knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and behaviours, thereby empowering them to serve as catalysts for peace in their communities.

The African Court President described 2024 as a significant year as it marks the beginning of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) of Agenda 2063.

She said, therefore, it calls on the African Continental Court to look back at its contribution during the past ten years of Agenda 2063 and, at the same time, look forward to the next ten years.

“Given the importance of human rights in the socio-economic and political development of the continent and given the important role the Court can and should play in this regard, the PRC has specifically requested,” she noted.

The African Court President noted that the opening of the Judicial Year for 2024 is very significant because it coincided with the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Protocol), on January 25, 2004.

“This ceremony also comes two years before the 20th anniversary of the operationalization of the African Court. So, as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Protocol, we are also preparing to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the African Continental Court in 2026.

“It will be an opportunity for us all to take stock of the work of the African Court for the past 20 years,” she noted.

Among the high-profile personalities who participated in the ceremony were President William Samoei Ruto of Kenya, who was represented by Justin Muturi, Attorney General of Kenya; Pindi Chana, Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania; and Justice Modibo Sacko, Vice-President of the African Court.

Others are Judges of the African Court, as well as Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Presidents of International and Regional Courts; Government officials; Judges of International, Regional, and National Courts; and the Registrar of the African Court.

The rest are members of the judicial corps of Tanzania, representatives of Bar Associations, civil society organizations, members of academia, members of the media, and other stakeholders involved in the work of the Court and the protection of human rights on the continent.

The ceremony commenced with a solemn procession of honourable judges of the African Court.