‘We cannot afford to have blueprints without buildings’ — ACHPR Commissioner demands action as Africa lags on human rights treaties
Human Rights Reporters
3 min read
Hon. Commissioner Janet Sallah-Njie, Vice Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), has observed that Africa’s human rights ambitions remain largely unrealized not because of a lack of legal instruments, but due to the continent’s slow pace in ratifying and implementing its own treaties.
Speaking at the opening of a high-level advocacy meeting in Accra on Saturday, the venerable Commissioner sent a strong message to African Union (AU) member states warning that commitments on paper must be turned into real protections for real people.
“We cannot afford to have blueprints without buildings,” she said. “Yet this is the paradox we face. We have the tools for transformation, but we hesitate to build with them.”
Her remarks opened the two-day regional gathering held from 27 to 28 September 2025 at the Oak Plaza Hotel in Accra, organized by the ACHPR.
The meeting under the theme “Towards Achieving the Universal Ratification and Effective Implementation of all African Human Rights Treaties” aims to revive momentum for universal ratification and practical enforcement of key African human rights instruments.
In her address, Commissioner Sallah-Njie who is also the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa described the current state of affairs as a moral and political failure that continues to cost lives.
“This hesitation is measured in the conscious suffering of the marginalized, the silent voices of women and girls, and the defiant dreams of those denied their basic rights to security, nationality, and dignity,” she told delegates.
Framing the moment as a turning point, she called on states to stop treating ratification as a symbolic exercise and to begin seeing it as the launchpad of a longer journey—one that includes domestication, legal enforcement, and ongoing monitoring.
“Ratification must never be the end,” she emphasized. “It is only the beginning of a three-phase journey: domestication, implementation, and most importantly, monitoring.”
Ghana’s government echoed this urgency.
In a speech delivered on behalf of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, his representative Dr. Sylvia Adusu stressed that political will from national leadership remains key to achieving the vision laid out in AU Agenda 2063.
“To attain continental ratification and effective implementation of these treaties, there must be committed leadership at the highest levels of government,” Dr. Adusu stated.
“Ratification is not merely a formality-it is a reflection of a country’s values, its vision, and its dedication to its people.”
Dr. Adusu also revealed that Ghana will host a promotion mission from the ACHPR in the coming days, which will assess the country’s performance on its human rights obligations and offer technical recommendations.
Throughout the event, AU member states and legal experts are examining the gaps that prevent full ratification of various AU treaties-some of which, despite being adopted years ago, have yet to reach the minimum threshold to enter into force.
These include protocols on the rights of older persons, persons with disabilities, statelessness, social protection, and more.
Commissioner Sallah-Njie urged states to take ownership of the process and engage with the ACHPR constructively.
She emphasized that the Commission is not simply an advocacy body, but the continent’s official mechanism for independent oversight, accountability, and technical guidance.
“Our mission is not to condemn but to constructively engage,” she said. “We provide clarity, technical support, and practical recommendations. These are not vague pronouncements—they are roadmaps to reform.”
As the meeting progresses, participants are expected to adopt a Common Declaration committing to clear timelines for ratification and implementation of AU treaties, and to champion human rights obligations at the highest levels of governance.
Commissioner Sallah-Njie concluded her remarks with a direct challenge to all representatives present: “Let this moment serve as a call to action, guided by shared values and a commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of all Africans.
The path ahead requires continued dialogue, collaboration and determination. Our shared future depends on the steps we take together from this point.”
With day one of the conference concluded, delegates now look ahead to translating the momentum in Accra into long-awaited ratification and real change back home.
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