Plan International - Girls' Rights Platform - Girls' rights are human rights: Positioning girls at the heart of the international agenda

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: c) Provide access to youth friendly reproductive health services including contraceptives, antenatal and post natal services;

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: m) Provide rehabilitation for young people abusing drugs such that they can be re-integrated into social and economic life;

ACKNOWLEDGING ALSO the call in Bamako (2005) by the youth organisations across Africa to empower youth by building their capacity, leadership, responsibilities and provide access to information such that they can take up their rightful place as active agents in decision-making and governance;

CONSIDERING the role that youth have played in the process of decolonisation, the struggle against apartheid and more recently in its efforts to encourage the development and to promote the democratic processes on the African Continent;

CONSIDERING that the promotion and protection of the rights of youth also implies the performance of duties by youth as by all other actors in society;

RECALLING the historic injustices imposed on Africa such as slavery, colonization, depletion of natural resources and taking into account the firm will of African peoples for self-determination and the economic integration of Africa;

Every young person shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

2. States Parties shall ensure that young men and young women enjoy equal rights to own property.

1. Every State Parties shall develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy. k) Such a programme of action shall be accompanied by adequate and sustained budgetary allocation.

1. Every young person shall have the right to own and to inherit property.

1. States Parties shall take the following steps to promote and protect the morals and traditional values recognised by the community: a) Eliminate all traditional practices that undermine the physical integrity and dignity of women;

1. Every State Parties shall develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy. g) A baseline evaluation or situation analysis shall inform the policy on the priority issues for youth development;

Every young person shall have responsibilities towards his family and society, the State, and the international community. Youth shall have the duty to: o) Protect the environment and conserve nature.

States Parties shall recognise the right of young people to live anywhere in the world. In this regard, they shall: e) Promote and protect the rights of young people living in the diaspora;

5. Youth are determined to transform the continent in the fields of science and technology. Therefore they are committed to: a) Promoting and using science and technology in Africa;

1. Every young person shall have the right to education of good quality.

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

State Parties shall not harbour or give sanctuary to perpetrators of unconstitutional changes of government.

State Parties shall strive to institutionalize good political governance through: Harmonious relationships in society including civil-military relations;

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Promoting transparency in public finance management;

State Parties shall strive to institutionalize good political governance through: Consolidating sustainable multiparty political systems;

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Preventing and combating corruption and related offences;

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Developing tax policies that encourage investment;

To give effect to the commitments contained in this Charter: Individual State Party Level State Parties commit themselves to implement the objectives, apply the principles and respect the commitments enshrined in this Charter as follows: State Parties shall take all necessary measures in accordance with constitutional provisions and procedures to ensure the wider dissemination of the Charter and all relevant legislation as may be necessary for the implementation of its fundamental principles;

State Parties shall provide the above-mentioned institutions with resources to perform their assigned missions efficiently and effectively.

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Promote self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods amongst internally displaced persons, provided that such measures shall not be used as a basis for neglecting the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, without prejudice to other means of assistance;

States Parties shall provide sufficient protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, and where available resources are inadequate to enable them to do so, they shall cooperate in seeking the assistance of international organizations and humanitarian agencies, civil society organizations and other relevant actors. Such organizations may offer their services to all those in need.

States Parties shall protect the rights of internally displaced persons regardless of the cause of displacement by refraining from, and preventing, the following acts, amongst others: Sexual and gender based violence in all its forms, notably rape, enforced prostitution, sexual exploitation and harmful practices, slavery, recruitment of children and their use in hostilities, forced labour and human trafficking and smuggling; and

No provision in this Convention shall be interpreted as affecting or undermining the right of internally displaced persons to seek and be granted asylum within the framework of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and to seek protection, as a refugee, within the purview of the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa or the 1951 U.N Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees as well as the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.

GUIDED by the vision, hopes and aspirations of the African Union, inclusive of Africa's integration, the inherent dignity and inalienable rights afforded to all members of the human family as set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (1976) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976), and articulated for the African peoples through the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (1986);

For the purpose of the present Protocol: f) Discrimination against women means any distinction, exclusion or restriction or any differential treatment based on sex and whose objectives or effects compromise or destroy the recognition, enjoyment or the exercise by women, regardless of their marital status, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all spheres of life;

States Parties shall enact appropriate legislation to ensure that women and men enjoy the same rights in case of separation, divorce or annulment of marriage. In this regard, they shall ensure that: in case of separation, divorce or annulment of marriage, women and men shall have the right to an equitable sharing of the joint property deriving from the marriage.

2. States Parties shall take appropriate and effective measures to: k) ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights in terms of access to refugee status, determination procedures and that women refugees are accorded the full protection and benefits guaranteed under international refugee law, including their own identity and other documents;

Women and men are equal before the law and shall have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure: support to local, national, regional and continental initiatives directed at providing women access to legal services, including legal aid;

1. States Parties acknowledge the need to eliminate discrimination against girls and young women according to obligations stipulated in various international, regional and national human rights conventions and instruments designed to protect and promote women's rights. In this regard, they shall: e) Guarantee equal access to and completion of vocational, secondary and higher education in order to effectively address the existing imbalance between young men and women in certain professions;

1. States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: c) women are equal partners with men at all levels of development and implementation of State policies and development programmes .

Women and men are equal before the law and shall have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure: the establishment of adequate educational and other appropriate structures with particular attention to women and to sensitise everyone to the rights of women;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: m) take effective legislative and administrative measures to prevent the exploitation and abuse of women in advertising and pornography.

States Parties shall take appropriate legal measures to ensure that widows enjoy all human rights through the implementation of the following provisions: b) a widow shall automatically become the guardian and custodian of her children, after the death of her husband, unless this is contrary to the interests and the welfare of the children;

To give effect to the commitments contained in this Charter: Individual State Party Level State Parties commit themselves to implement the objectives, apply the principles and respect the commitments enshrined in this Charter as follows: State Parties shall initiate appropriate measures including legislative, executive and administrative actions to bring State Parties’ national laws and regulations into conformity with this Charter;

When the Peace and Security Council observes that there has been an unconstitutional change of government in a State Party, and that diplomatic initiatives have failed, it shall suspend the said State Party from the exercise of its right to participate in the activities of the Union in accordance with the provisions of articles 30 of the Constitutive Act and 7 (g) of the Protocol. The suspension shall take effect immediately.

Nothing in this Convention shall be invoked for the purpose of affecting the sovereignty of a State or the responsibility of the Government, by all legitimate means, to maintain or re-establish law and order in the State or to defend the national unity and territorial integrity of the State.

The African Union shall respect the right of States Parties to request intervention from the Union in order to restore peace and security in accordance with Article 4(j) of the Constitutive Act and thus contribute to the creation of favourable conditions for finding durable solutions to the problem of internal displacement;

Members of armed groups shall be prohibited from: c. Denying internally displaced persons the right to live in satisfactory conditions of dignity, security, sanitation, food, water, health and shelter; and separating members of the same family;

The African Union shall support the efforts of the States Parties to protect and assist internally displaced persons under this Convention. In particular, the Union shall: a. Strengthen the institutional framework and capacity of the African Union with respect to protection and assistance to internally displaced persons;

States Parties shall: i. Take necessary measures to protect individual, collective and cultural property left behind by displaced persons as well as in areas where internally displaced persons are located, either within the jurisdiction of the State Parties, or in areas under their effective control;

States Parties shall enable internally displaced persons to make a free and informed choice on whether to return, integrate locally or relocate by consulting them on these and other options and ensuring their participation in finding sustainable solutions.

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: k) Raise awareness amongst youth on the dangers of drug abuse through partnerships with youth, youth organisations and the community;

RECALLING the resolution of the Heads of State and government during the 1999 Algiers Summit for the development of the Pan-African Charter;

ACKNOWLEDGING the commitments already made towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and inviting the partners to reaffirm their support to advance the well-being of youth;

ACKNOWLEDGING the increasing calls and the enthusiasm of youth to actively participate at local, national, regional and international levels to determine their own development and the advancement of society at large;

3. States Parties shall: a) Encourage the media to disseminate information that will be of economic, political, social and cultural benefit to youth;

2. States Parties shall take the following measures to promote active youth participation in society: They shall: c) Ensure equal access to young men and young women to participate in decision-making and in fulfilling civic duties;

1. Every State Parties shall develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy. e) The policy shall provide guidelines on the definition of youth adopted and specify subgroups that shall be targeted for development;

RECALLING that women's rights have been recognised and guaranteed in all international human rights instruments, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and its Optional Protocol, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and all other international and regional conventions and covenants relating to the rights of women as being inalienable, interdependent and indivisible human rights;

3. The education of young people shall be directed to: d) The preservation and strengthening of positive African morals, traditional values and cultures and the development of national and African identity and pride;

1. The family, as the most basic social institution, shall enjoy the full protection and support of States Parties for its establishment and development noting that the structure and form of families varies in different social and cultural contexts.

Nothing in this Charter shall be taken as minimising higher standards and values contained in other relevant human rights instruments ratified by States concerned or rational law or policies.

2. Recognise the right of young people to be free from hunger and shall take individual or collective measures to: c) Provide grants of land to youth and youth organisations for socio- economic development purposes;

States Parties shall recognise the right of young people to live anywhere in the world. In this regard, they shall: a) Promote the equivalence of degrees between African educational institutions to enable the youth to study and work in State Parties;

3. The education of young people shall be directed to: a) The promotion and holistic development of the young person's cognitive and creative and emotional abilities to their full potential;

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures with a view to achieving full realisation of this right and shall, in particular: d) Strengthen participation in and the quality of training in science and technology;

States Parties shall prohibit and condemn all forms of harmful practices which negatively affect the human rights of women and which are contrary to recognised international standards. States Parties shall take all necessary legislative and other measures to eliminate such practices, including: prohibition, through legislative measures backed by sanctions, of all forms of female genital mutilation, scarification, medicalisation and para-medicalisation of female genital mutilation and all other practices in order to eradicate them;

Every young person shall have responsibilities towards his family and society, the State, and the international community. Youth shall have the duty to: j) Defend democracy, the rule of law and all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

2. An amendment shall be approved by a simple majority of the Member States. Such amendment shall come into force for each Member States that has ratified or acceded to it on the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures with a view to achieving full realisation of this right and shall, in particular: a) Provide free and compulsory basic education and take steps to minimise the indirect costs of education;

2. States Parties shall commit themselves to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of women and men through public education, information, education and communication strategies, with a view to achieving the elimination of harmful cultural and traditional practices and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes, or on stereotyped roles for women and men.

Every young person shall have responsibilities towards his family and society, the State, and the international community. Youth shall have the duty to: d) Partake fully in citizenship duties including voting, decision making and governance;

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “Member States” means the Member States of the African Union;

The objectives of this Charter are to: Promote gender balance and equality in the governance and development processes;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Holding of regular, transparent, free and fair elections;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Condemnation and total rejection of unconstitutional changes of government;

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “Commission” means the Commission of the Union;

The objectives of this Charter are to: Promote and protect the independence of the judiciary;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Respect for human rights and democratic principles;

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

In this Charter, unless otherwise stated, the following expressions shall have the following meaning: “NEPAD” means the New Partnership for Africa’s Development;

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Separation of powers;

State Parties shall commit themselves to promote democracy, the principle of the rule of law and human rights.

State Parties shall bring to justice the perpetrators of unconstitutional changes of government or take necessary steps to effect their extradition.

State Parties shall recognize the crucial role of women in development and strengthening of democracy.

A copy of the report shall be submitted to the State Party concerned within a reasonable time.

State Parties shall cooperate at regional and continental levels in building and consolidating democracy through exchange of experiences.

State Parties shall strive to institutionalize good political governance through: Entrenching and respecting the principle of the rule of law.

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Poverty alleviation;

State Parties shall pursue sustainable development and human security through achievement of NEPAD objectives and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Peace and Security Council shall lift sanctions once the situation that led to the suspension is resolved.

State Parties shall promote participation of social groups with special needs, including the Youth and people with disabilities, in the governance process.

NOTING the specific roles of international Organizations and agencies within the framework of the United Nations inter-agency collaborative approach to internally displaced persons, especially the protection expertise of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the invitation extended to it by the Executive Council of the African Union in Decision EX/CL.413 (XIII) of July 2008 at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to continue and reinforce its role in the protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, within the United Nations coordination mechanism; and noting also the mandate of the International Committee of the Red Cross to protect and assist persons affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence, as well as the work of civil society organizations, in conformity with the laws of the country in which they exercise such roles and mandates;

The Commission shall: Act as the central coordinating structure for the implementation of this Charter;

A copy of the report shall be submitted to the relevant organs of the Union for appropriate action within their respective mandates;

The amendments or revisions shall enter into force when approved by two-thirds majority of State Parties.

For the purpose of the present Convention: k. "Internally Displaced Persons" means persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border;

All persons have a right to be protected against arbitrary displacement. The prohibited categories of arbitrary displacement include but are not limited to: Displacement caused by any act, event, factor, or phenomenon of comparable gravity to all of the above and which is not justified under international law, including human rights and international humanitarian law.

States Parties shall protect the rights of internally displaced persons regardless of the cause of displacement by refraining from, and preventing, the following acts, amongst others: Arbitrary killing, summary execution, arbitrary detention, abduction, enforced disappearance or torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

In view of the important role of youth in promoting peace and non-violence and the lasting physical and psychological scars that result from involvement in violence, armed conflict and war, States Parties shall: b) Institute mechanisms to promote a culture of peace and tolerance amongst young people that discourages their participation in acts of violence, terrorism, xenophobia, racial discrimination, gender-based discrimination, foreign occupation and trafficking in arms and drugs;

FURTHER NOTING that the African Platform for Action and the Dakar Declaration of 1994 and the Beijing Platform for Action of 1995 call on all Member States of the United Nations, which have made a solemn commitment to implement them, to take concrete steps to give greater attention to the human rights of women in order to eliminate all forms of discrimination and of gender-based violence against women;

1. States Parties shall combat all forms of discrimination against women through appropriate legislative, institutional and other measures. In this regard they shall: c) integrate a gender perspective in their policy decisions, legislation, development plans, programmes and activities and in all other spheres of life;

States Parties shall ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights and are regarded as equal partners in marriage. They shall enact appropriate national legislative measures to guarantee that: a woman and a man shall have equal rights, with respect to the nationality of their children except where this is contrary to a provision in national legislation or is contrary to national security interests;

1. Young people shall have the right to rest and leisure and to engage in play and recreational activities that are part of a health lifestyle as well as to participate freely in sport, physical education drama, the arts, music and other forms of cultural life. In this regard, States Parties shall: a) Make provision for equal access for young men and young women to sport, physical education, cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activities;

1. States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: a) women participate without any discrimination in all elections;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: e) create conditions to promote and support the occupations and economic activities of women, in particular, within the informal sector;

For the purpose of the present Protocol: j) Violence against women means all acts perpetrated against women which cause or could cause them physical, sexual, psychological, and economic harm, including the threat to take such acts; or to undertake the imposition of arbitrary restrictions on or deprivation of fundamental freedoms in private or public life in peace time and during situations of armed conflicts or of war;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: g) introduce a minimum age for work and prohibit the employment of children below that age, and prohibit, combat and punish all forms of exploitation of children, especially the girl-child;

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: k) recognise and enforce the right of salaried women to the same allowances and entitlements as those granted to salaried men for their spouses and children;

1. States Parties shall ensure that the right to health of women, including sexual and reproductive health is respected and promoted. This includes: e) the right to be informed on one's health status and on the health status of one's partner, particularly if affected with sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, in accordance with internationally recognised standards and best practices;

States Parties shall prohibit and condemn all forms of harmful practices which negatively affect the human rights of women and which are contrary to recognised international standards. States Parties shall take all necessary legislative and other measures to eliminate such practices, including: protection of women who are at risk of being subjected to harmful practices or all other forms of violence, abuse and intolerance.

States Parties shall adopt and enforce legislative and other measures to guarantee women equal opportunities in work and career advancement and other economic opportunities. In this respect, they shall: f) establish a system of protection and social insurance for women working in the informal sector and sensitise them to adhere to it;

1. States Parties acknowledge the need to eliminate discrimination against girls and young women according to obligations stipulated in various international, regional and national human rights conventions and instruments designed to protect and promote women's rights. In this regard, they shall: i) Protect girls and young women from economic exploitation and from performing work that is hazardous, takes them away from education or that is harmful to their mental or physical health;

When a situation arises in a State Party that may affect its democratic political institutional arrangements or the legitimate exercise of power, the Peace and Security Council shall exercise its responsibilities in order to maintain the constitutional order in accordance with relevant provisions of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, hereinafter referred to as the Protocol.

Women shall have the right to fully enjoy their right to sustainable development. In this connection, the States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to: b) ensure participation of women at all levels in the conceptualisation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation of development policies and programmes;

For the purpose of the present Convention: j. "Harmful Practices" means all behaviour, attitudes and/or practices which negatively affect the fundamental rights of persons, such as but not limited to their right to life, health, dignity, education, mental and physical integrity and education;

1.States Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention. In particular, States Parties shall: Ensure individual responsibility for acts of arbitrary displacement, in accordance with applicable domestic and international criminal law;

States Parties shall respect the mandates of the African Union and the United Nations, as well as the roles of international humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to internally displaced persons, in accordance with international law.

The provisions of this Article shall not, in any way whatsoever, be construed as affording legal status or legitimizing or recognizing armed groups and are without prejudice to the individual criminal responsibility of the members of such groups under domestic or international criminal law.

The African Union shall support the efforts of the States Parties to protect and assist internally displaced persons under this Convention. In particular, the Union shall: f. Cooperate with the Special Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for Refugees, Returnees, IDPs and Asylum Seekers in addressing issues of internally displaced persons.

States Parties shall: d. Take special measures to protect and provide for the reproductive and sexual health of internally displaced women as well as appropriate psycho-social support for victims of sexual and other related abuses;

States Parties shall: j. Take necessary measures to safeguard against environmental degradation in areas where internally displaced persons are located, either within the jurisdiction of the State Parties, or in areas under their effective control;

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, whenever possible, to restore the lands of communities with special dependency and attachment to such lands upon the communities' return, reintegration, and reinsertion.

Any dispute or differences arising between the States Parties with regard to the interpretation or application of this Convention shall be settled amicably through direct consultations between the States Parties concerned. In the event of failure to settle the dispute or differences, either State may refer the dispute to the African Court of Justice and Human Rights.

States Parties shall, when presenting their reports under Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights as well as, where applicable, under the African Peer Review Mechanism indicate the legislative and other measures that have been taken to give effect to this Convention.

1. Every young person shall have the right to enjoy the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health.

2. States Parties shall undertake to pursue the full implementation of this right and in particular shall take measures to: h) Provide food security for people living with HIV/AIDS;

2. States Parties shall in particular: a) Ensure that youth who are detained or imprisoned or in rehabilitation centres are not subjected to torture, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment;

2. States Parties shall in particular: f) Ensure that accused and convicted young people are entitled to a lawyer.

GUIDED by the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the States Parties to the present "African Youth Charter",

REAFFIRMING the need to take appropriate measures to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children as outlined in the Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) and through the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1999),

FULLY ATTACHED to the virtues and values of African historical tradition and civilization which form the foundation for our concept of people's rights;

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the needs and aspirations of young displaced persons, refugees and youth with special needs;

1. Every young person shall have the right to free association and freedom of peaceful assembly in conformity with the law.

2. Young men and women of full age who enter into marriage shall do so based on their free consent and shall enjoy equal rights and responsibilities.

2. States Parties shall encourage youth organizations to lead youth programmes and to ensure the exercise of the right to development.

2. States Parties shall take the following measures to promote active youth participation in society: They shall: a) Guarantee the participation of youth in parliament and other decision- making bodies in accordance with the prescribed laws;

1. Every State Parties shall develop a comprehensive and coherent national youth policy. d) Mechanisms to address these youth challenges shall be framed within the national development framework of the country;

Every young person has the right to leave any country, including his/her own, and to return to his/her country.

No young person shall be subject to the arbitrary or unlawful interference with his/her privacy, residence or correspondence, or to attacks upon his/her honour or reputation.

3. States Parties shall ensure that youth are not arbitrarily deprived of their property including inherited property.

Guided by our common mission to strengthen and consolidate institutions for good governance, continental unity and solidarity;

Desirous to enhance the relevant Declarations and Decisions of the OAU/AU (including the 1990 Declaration on the political and socio-economic situation in Africa and the fundamental changes taking place in the world, the 1995 Cairo Agenda for the Re-launch of Africa’s Economic and Social Development, the 1999 Algiers Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the 2000 Lomé Declaration for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the 2002 OAU/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the 2003 Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union);

In order to advance political, economic and social governance, State Parties shall commit themselves to: Improving public sector management;

State Parties shall strive to institutionalize good political governance through: Accountable, efficient and effective public administration;

State Parties shall institutionalize good economic and corporate governance through, inter alia: Prudent and sustainable utilization of public resources;

State Parties shall decentralize power to democratically elected local authorities as provided in national laws.

State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: Promotion of gender equality in public and private institutions;

The instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Chairperson of the Commission.

Any State Party may submit proposals for the amendment or revision of this Charter;

This Charter shall enter into force thirty (30) days after the deposit of fifteen (15) Instruments of Ratification.

States Parties shall take necessary steps to effectively organize, relief action that is humanitarian, and impartial in character, and guarantee security. States Parties shall allow rapid and unimpeded passage of all relief consignments, equipment and personnel to internally displaced persons. States Parties shall also enable and facilitate the role of local and international organizations and humanitarian agencies, civil society organizations and other relevant actors, to provide protection and assistance to internally displaced persons. States Parties shall have the right to prescribe the technical arrangements under which such passage is permitted.

States Parties shall facilitate the issuance of new documents or the replacement of documents lost or destroyed in the course of displacement, without imposing unreasonable conditions, such as requiring return to one's area of habitual residence in order to obtain these or other required documents. The failure to issue internally displaced persons with such documents shall not in any way impair the exercise or enjoyment of their human rights.