Title: Analysis of human rights under the African charter on human and peoples' rights

Authors: Gabriel C. Ezeh

Addresses: Faculty of Law, Postgraduate School, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract: This paper is aimed at analysing human rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. A socio-legal analytical method is adopted which allowed the researcher to apply a multidisciplinary methodology that takes cognisance of the historical contexts while also considering the legal contexts of the subject matter under discourse. This study finds amongst other things that The African Charter promotes a range of human rights such as civil and political, socio-economic and cultural, individual and collective rights. The study finds that there are factors militating against the effectiveness of the provisions of the African Charter. The African Charter was a product of diplomatic negotiations and it had to take into account intra-regional constraints and diversities otherwise it would have suffered total rejection. As the society is dynamic, a reconsideration of the provision of the charter is required for its effectiveness.

Keywords: human rights; African charter; African union; judicial application; courts.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2026.155289

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2026 Vol.13 No.3, pp.263 - 279

Received: 30 Nov 2023
Accepted: 07 Jan 2024
Published online: 30 Jul 2026 *

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