West and Central Africa are set to convene in Cotonou, Benin, from November 10-12, 2026, to discuss the future of human rights in the region. The meeting, titled "Reimagining the Future of Human Rights in West and Central Africa," will bring together approximately 70 stakeholders from governments, regional institutions, civil society, academia, the private sector, and development partners. The goal is to explore practical solutions to strengthen human rights, democratic governance, peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Human rights in West and Central Africa are at a critical crossroads, with many people facing conflict, economic hardship, inequality, restrictions on civic space, and environmental destruction. Despite adopting laws and establishing institutions to protect human rights, the gap between commitments and people's everyday experiences remains significant. The convening aims to address this gap by developing a future-fit African Human Rights Architecture that responds to today's challenges while preparing for the future.
The meeting will focus on four interconnected priorities: democratic governance, constitutionalism, and civic space; peace, security, and human rights; human rights, economic governance, and environmental justice; and regional leadership and the future of Africa's human rights architecture. These themes recognize that human rights cannot be protected in isolation from the political, economic, environmental, and security conditions shaping people's lives.
West and Central Africa bring important strengths to this conversation, including vibrant civil society movements, committed human rights defenders, youth leadership, Indigenous knowledge, and longstanding traditions of dignity, justice, and collective responsibility. The convening will consider how human rights institutions and policies can respond more effectively to the realities on the ground, including the concerns of communities affected by extractive industries and environmental degradation.
The meaningful involvement of affected communities, civil society, and human rights defenders will be essential to ensuring that the resulting priorities reflect people's experiences. The convening is expected to produce a Regional Outcome Statement, evidence-based policy recommendations, a regional synthesis report, and priorities to inform the wider continental dialogue. Its recommendations will contribute to the development of a roadmap for a future-fit African Human Rights Architecture.
The event is being organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' Regional Hub for Central and West Africa, the Open Society Foundations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions. The organizers envisage follow-up work to promote implementation, monitor progress, document lessons, and strengthen cooperation among regional institutions, governments, civil society, and other partners.
The convening supports the aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights' Strategic Plan for 2026-2028. Ultimately, the success of the Cotonou convening will depend on whether its recommendations lead to stronger protection, greater accountability, meaningful public participation, and tangible improvements in people's lives.
Key points
- The regional convening aims to develop practical solutions to strengthen human rights in West and Central Africa.
- The meeting will focus on four interconnected priorities, including democratic governance and human rights, economic governance, and environmental justice.
- The convening is part of a broader continental initiative to develop a future-fit African Human Rights Architecture.
