A press release stated that the meeting will continue until May 22, with participation from all State Parties, organs of the African Union (AU), national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the general public.

The African Union’s 2025 theme is: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”

Discussions will focus on economic reparations for sustainable development, contemporary slavery and exploitation, gender justice in reparations, corporate accountability and ethical practices, governance and policy frameworks, among other issues.

Under Article 62 of the African Charter, countries must submit periodic reports to the Commission every two years. This session will examine the reports of Ethiopia (2015-2023) and Zimbabwe (2019-2023).

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is the AU’s principal human rights body, established under Article 30 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the founding treaty of the African human rights system.

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