Submission to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

The Wild Law Institute, on behalf of itself and members of the African Hub of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), has made a formal submission to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to help shape the interpretation of Article 24 of the African Charter – the right of all peoples to "a general satisfactory environment favourable to their development."

Our submission argues that this right cannot be realised unless it is understood alongside a corresponding duty to protect, restore and regenerate the living systems upon which all life depends. Drawing on African ancestral jurisprudence, developments in international law, and the growing global recognition of the Rights of Nature, we propose that the Commission's General Comment should affirm that healthy ecosystems are not simply resources for human use, but the living foundation of all human rights.

The submission calls for an interpretation of Article 24 that reflects Africa's rich legal traditions of relationality and responsibility, recognising that humans are part of the wider Earth Community and have legal duties to maintain its health and integrity. By embedding these principles within the African human rights framework, the Commission has an opportunity to strengthen environmental protection while honouring the continent's own jurisprudential heritage.