June has been a busy and exciting month at IHRDA, marked by strategic litigation, new partnerships, and continued engagement with regional human rights mechanisms.

This month, we marked the Day of the African Child (16 June) by bringing together experts from across the continent to examine one of the most pressing yet overlooked challenges facing children today: child labour and business accountability. 

We also continued to work alongside partners to advance accountability through the African human rights system. We received a positive judgement from the ECOWAS Court of Justice concerning Sierra Leone’s obligations to prevent child marriage, protect victims, and ensure accountability for perpetrators. We also filed a complaint before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on behalf of individuals transferred from the United States to Equatorial Guinea under a third-country deportation arrangement. 

In addition, members of the IHRDA team undertook a partnership development mission across the UK and Europe to strengthen relationships with existing and prospective partners and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

We also welcomed a new cohort of colleagues to the IHRDA family, and convened the 28th Meeting of our Board of Directors in The Gambia.

In this edition, you will find updates on these developments, a spotlight on a historic amicable settlement before the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, highlights from across the African human rights landscape, and an introduction to some of the newest members of our team.

Happy reading!