Our Story
ACSE was founded informally in 2012 at the 52nd ordinary session of the ACHPR in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, to strengthen CSO capacity and provide free physical space for CSOs at the African Commission sessions. ACSE was then formally launched in 2019 and established a selection process of initiatives and events to be featured in the ACSE side event program. ACSE’s vision has remained the same throughout the years: to reinforce CSO participation at the ACHPR. Our commitment lies in holding the Commission and its Commissioners accountable, thereby pushing the ACHPR to effectively ensure member states are held responsible for human rights violations.
Historical Timeline:
2012 – 52nd Session of the ACHPR in Yamoussoukro, the first side events held by Heartland Alliance later replaced by Synergía, INTERIGHTS later replaced by the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) and, in partnership over time with other institutions such as Coalition for African Lesbians (CAL) , African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) among others.
2019 – ACHPR CSO Side events was formally launched and convened by Synergia Initiatives for Human Rights, Initiatives for Strategic Litigation Africa among others.
2023 – ACHPR CSO Side events was renamed to ‘African Civil Society Engagement’ – ACSE. Launched in Arusha at the 77th session of the ACHPR. ACSE convened by Synergia Initiatives for Human Rights; Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa; Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; Pan African ILGA; MOLI; and Amnesty International.