Call for Papers: 'Twenty Years of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Reflections, Reckonings and the Road Ahead '

A PhD/Early Career Researcher Workshop, SOAS University of London, 4th November 2026 

Marking the twentieth anniversary of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, this one-day workshop brings together doctoral and early career researchers to reflect on the Court’s first two decades and to consider its future within the wider African and international human rights system. 

We welcome papers on any aspect of the Court’s work, including but not limited to:

• Doctrinal developments within the Court’s jurisprudence
• Critical or decolonial perspectives on the African human rights system
• The Court’s jurisprudence in comparative perspective
•  Access to justice and admissibility issues in respect of the Court’s contentious and advisory      jurisdiction
• Implementation, compliance, and the Court’s impact in practice

The workshop will comprise three panels, each of three 15-minute papers, followed by a Q&A.

Submission guidelines: 

Abstracts of 200–300 words, along with a short biographical note (100 words), should be submitted to Gwawr Thomas (712749@soas.ac.uk) and Irish Tony-Awusaku (734251@soas.ac.uk) by 1st October 2026.

This is an in-person event open to researchers at all institutions. We are pleased to be able to contribute to speakers’ travel costs.