By BOB KARASHANI More by this AuthorA judge of the African Court of Human and People's Rights and Ecowas Court of Justice has criticised government commitments to safeguarding human rights across the continent, pointing out a very poor trend of adherence by member states to court rulings on human rights issues. The African Court president's views were echoed by her counterpart from the Ecowas Court of Justice in West Africa, Judge Edward Amoako Asante, who also showed concern over "inconsistencies" in respecting court rulings in human rights cases across the continent. Judge Asante noted that while African countries were quick to commit themselves to international instruments of human rights, these commitments were rarely reflected in their enforcement of court decisions "probably with a view to evading scrutiny of their own human rights records." He said such behaviour contributed to the erosion of public trust in human rights protection entities in Africa. Discussions have revolved around bolstering the independence and capacity of the continent's human rights protection bodies, pressuring governments to enact more laws designed to enhance their own human rights records, and issues of economic management, good governance, poverty alleviation and land rights.

Source: Daily Nation October 27, 2023 10:29 UTC