GI-ESCR participated in "The Africa We Want: Reclaiming Public Services in Africa" conference organised by the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) in partnership with the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA) from 29th to 30th August 2023. The event was an opportunity to shed light on General Comment No. 7 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) which acknowledges African states primary obligation to provide public services for their people and provides a framework to regulate private actors. 

At the heart of the conference's discourse, GI-ESCR's programme officer - Africa, Aya Douabou, was a panelist for the session entitled General Comment No 7. Why it matters and what opportunities held on 29th August. She delivered a poignant intervention showing how General Comment 7 can make a change in the lives of laypersons and focusing on the pivotal role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in implementing ACHPR General Comment 7. She emphasised on the duty of the state to deliver social services that are available, accessible, and acceptable while also regulating private providers of these services and holding them accountable using instruments under General Comment 7. She concluded by calling on CSOs to ensure that General Comment 7 reaches ordinary citizens by simplifying and summarising its content, making it easier for everyone to understand and empowering communities to demand accessible public services as their fundamental right. 

GI-ESCR supported the ACHPR Working Group on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as part of the drafting committee for General Comment 7, along with ISER and other partners, and continues to make interventions on General Comment 7 by creating awareness among relevant stakeholders towards its effective implementation. This activity is already aligned with GI-ESCR’s work on reversing commercialisation and strengthening public services.  

See the event recordings below: 

Day 1 

Day 2  

Read more about our work on public services here.