Africa

African Institute of International Law

The African Institute of International Law (AIIL) promotes the dissemination of international law in Africa and seeks to enhance the rule of law in Africa. Its website gives details of AIIL workshops, summer schools, capacity-building projects and other events. It also makes available the African Law Series: compilations of African legal instruments including AU/OAU treaties, declarations and resolutions (see Media Center – Resources).

Laws.Africa

Laws.Africa is a non-profit organisation working with African governments to make African legislation and cases available for free online. Its website provides technical information and an API developer guide; it also offers case studies, best practice guidance for publishing legal documentation online and information about naming conventions for documents.

Center for Economic and Social Rights

The Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) is an international NGO working to establish a rights-based economy. It carries out research, advocacy, coalition-building and networking with the aim of supporting human rights and social justice groups around the world. The CESR website provides publications, guidance, videos and FAQs on human rights issues including inequality, environmental rights, social protection, debt justice and the right to education, food and health. 

Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

Website of the Pan-African Parliament, the legislative arm of the African Union. The PAP was established in 2004 by the Constitutive Act of the African Union and includes representatives from all 55 member states. The site gives details of MPs and the permanent committees and sets out the objectives of the Parliament which includes formulating model laws that member states can adopt.  The site can be viewed in English and French. 

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Website of the AfCFTA Secretariat providing information on the African Continental Free Trade Area. The site outlines the aims of the AfCFTA which include creating a single market for the African continent and boosting its trading position globally. There are profiles of the countries who are signatories to the agreement and an overview of the protocols which include trade in goods and services, dispute settlement and customs and trade facilitation. A full text copy of the Agreement is given along with the e-tariff book and a selection of publications produced by the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Institute for African Women in Law

The Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) is non-profit organisation that promotes and supports women in the legal and judicial professions. It covers both the continent of Africa and the African Diaspora. The IAWL maintains professional networks, carries out research and holds events. Its website provides biographical information about African women in the legal sector, including chief justices, judges at international courts and up-and-coming lawyers.

Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa

The Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) is a non-governmental organisation working to “promote awareness of human rights in Africa and improve the effectiveness of the African Human Rights system”. The site has information on IHRDA’s work which includes representing victims of human rights violations, training human rights workers and providing information on the African human rights system. Details of IHRDA publications are given along with information about and links to the African Human Rights Case Law Analyser and the Sexual and Gender Based Violence databases.

Official gazettes and civil society documentation

Collection of endangered government publications from ten African countries and Gulf states, digitised by the US-based Center for Research Libraries (CRL). Includes official gazettes – which typically publish legislation, government notices, et cetera - from Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Most, but not all, of the digitised content is from the 1950s to the 1990s. The CRL website is in English and the gazettes are in the language of the country of publication.

Gazettes.Africa

Free online versions of official government gazettes from various African countries, compiled into one website, hosted by Laws.Africa and AfricanLII. The gazettes contain important government information, for example governmental notices and legislation such as acts and bills. The gazettes are in PDF form and are searchable by country and date, with new gazettes being updated on the website continually. The collections vary from country to country, and there are gazettes from 22 jurisdictions as well as the East African Community and ECOWAS.

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