The African Union Project 2016: Activities Earmarked for the Celebration

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 21 January 2016 –

To ensure that the celebration achieves its objectives, a series of activities have been planned, spread across the entire year of 2016 and aimed at celebrating the gains made so far, reviewing the human rights situation on the continent, taking stock of what still needs to be done to create a culture of human rights observance on the continent, and exploring how best to address the remaining human rights challenges.

The activities seek to initiate an advocacy and coordinating campaign that generates increasing momentum, and reaches out to stakeholders and partners at all levels (political, institutional, civil society organisations, national and community levels), and give ownership to all key stakeholders, especially the beneficiaries of the rights enshrined in the African Charter.
To ensure continuity of the campaign beyond 2016, the Continental Conference on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Africa is expected to adopt a 10-Year Action Plan on the promotion and protection of human rights on the continent. This will be submitted to the AU Summit in January 2017 for adoption, and will form part of the Blueprint /Roadmap for human rights in Africa.

Worth mentioning that the actualization of Africa's development and prosperity depends largely on the protection and promotion of human rights, and more specifically on the rights of women. Project 2016 is about galvanizing momentum towards the realisation of human rights, particularly the rights of women, and contributing to the fostering of a truly human rights culture.

According to the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the success of Project 2016 lies in the collective dedication, responsibility and ownership felt and acted on by all actors; the effective participation of all stakeholders is a critical success factor to enhance the implementation of Agenda 2063 given that “the aspirations of Agenda 2063 reflect our desire for shared prosperity and well-being, for unity and integration, for a continent of free citizens and expanded horizons, where the full potential of men, women and youths, boys and girls are realized, and with freedom from fear, disease and want”.

Hashtags
#26thAUSummit
#YearofHumanRights
#WomenEmpowerment
#WomenRights
#Agenda2063

For more information, please contact
The Secretariat of the African Union Project 2016,
Department of Political Affairs,
African Union Commission,
Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia

Media inquiries should be directed to:
Mrs Esther Azaa Tankou| Ag. Director of Information and Communication | African Union Commission | Tel: +251 (0) 911361185 | Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44 | E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org|