African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

Abstract

"The African Charter helped to steer Africa from the age of human wrongs into a new age of human rights. It opened up Africa to supra-national accountability. The Charter sets standards and establishes the groundwork for the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa. Since its adoption 30 years ago, the Charter has formed the basis for individuals to claim rights in an international forum. The Charter also dealt a blow to state sovereignty by emphasising that human rights violations could no longer be swept under the carpet of ‘internal affairs’."