The Implications of The Ethiopian Civil Society Law on Efforts of Non-Governmnetal Organizations to Enhance the Implementation of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights in Ethiopia
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Date
2018
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Protection and promotion of human rights need a far-reaching effort of all stakeholders. It is
rather not left to states and treaty bodies only. Individuals often face financial and other
constraints to bring claims to treaty bodies or domestic courts while states may not always be
able to protect and promote human rights of individuals. Regrettably, treaty bodies and other
international organizations may be unable to witness and investigate human right violations
that occur in different states across the globe. In such instances, NGOs play a momentous
role in protecting individuals from human rights abuse and violations. In the African context,
NGOs often make concrete proposals to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’
Rights on measures it could adopt to investigate the specific country situations on human
rights or violations or mechanisms it could establish to deal with thematic issues.
Ethiopia, as a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights is expected to
implement the Charter nationally, which entails the need for NGOs to enhance this
implementation emanates. Hence, this study seeks to evaluate the human right implication of
the Ethiopian NGOs laws specifically, the Charities and Societies Proclamation and its
implementing directives in enhancing the domestic implementation of the Charter.
The thesis questions whether there is enough space for NGOs to nationally implement the
African Charter in Ethiopia and argues that there is no adequate space for NGOs to do so
due to the operational and funding impediments under the Ethiopian charities and societies
law imposed on NGOs that are working and intending to work on human rights.