KAMPALA DECLARATION

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, at the First International Human Rights Forum 28 to 29 October 2019

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, meeting in Kampala, the Republic of Uganda, from 28 to 29 October 2019 on the occasion of the First International Human Rights Forum of the three regional courts:

Re-affirming their commitment to the principles and objectives contained in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights and the European Convention on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms; and other relevant international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the two United Nations international Covenants;

Considering the Declaration of San Jose of 18 July 2018 where the three courts affirmed that the respect for, and protection of human and peoples’ rights and access to justice of the people under their jurisdictions is a prerequisite for the enhancement of the rule of law and democracy and contributes to the attainment of national goals and objectives;

Noting with commendation the existing cordial relationship that allows for institutional and jurisprudential dialogue, the sharing of information and best practices for their common benefit; the desire to strengthen that relationship through continued shared work and efforts between the three courts;

Welcome the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to operationalize the International Human Rights Forum;

The three Courts further agreed upon the following:
1. To encourage the Member States of their respective organizations, partners, civil society and citizens to contribute to and support the continued organization of the International Human Rights Forum and the programmes and activities of the Forum.
2. To organize the International Human Rights Forum biennially in private and public sessions on a rotational basis and involving other regional and global human rights stakeholders, where necessary.
3. To ensure that the decisions and resolutions reached at the Forum are adhered to and implemented by allocating the necessary resources and appointing focal points for the required follow-up.
4. To conduct staff exchanges.
5. To undertake knowledge-sharing through digital platforms, on topical human rights issues, including on, migration, violence against women, environmental hazards, climate change, bioethics, terrorism, mass data surveillance and on the working methods of the three courts.
6. To develop on-line learning courses on various aspects aimed at protecting human rights in their respective jurisdictions in particular, as well as globally.
7. To publish annually an electronic/digital report on the leading judgments of the three courts with commentaries, where necessary, and taking into consideration the working languages of the respective courts.
8. To enhance dialogue and sharing jurisprudence with national courts, as one of the mechanisms for ensuring reference by national courts to the regional courts’ judgments and contributing to the enforcement of these judgments in the long run.

Decide that the next meeting of the Forum will be hosted by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France in 2021;
Commend the African Court for the successful organization of the maiden edition of the Forum;
Thank the Government and People of the Republic of Uganda for the excellent hosting of this meeting as well as the European Union for providing the much appreciated financial support.

Signed in Kampala, Uganda this 29th day of October, 2019