On 12 October 2026, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held the panel Defending without being exposed on the main agenda of its 89th Ordinary Session in Dakar. Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals, convened and chaired it. RFLD facilitated the session with the support of the SEA-T programme, implemented by GIZ on behalf of BMZ.
The five interventions are now online. Each one runs for about five minutes and answers one of the questions the panel set out to discuss: how women who support survivors can do their work without being exposed to reprisals.
Safeguarding and funding chains: Konstanze Ricken
Konstanze Ricken, Programme Director, SEA-T, GIZ. Konstanze Ricken focused on the link between intersectionality, Afrofeminism and gender equality, and on what it means for partnerships and funding that aim at gender transformation. A woman’s age, a disability, where she lives or her social status shape the risks she faces and the protection she can reach.
Protecting women defenders in the African system: Hannah Forster
Hannah Forster, Executive Director, ACDHRS. Hannah Forster spoke on the recognition and protection of women defenders within the African human rights system, drawing on many years organising the Forum on the Participation of NGOs ahead of each ordinary session of the Commission.
Women organising under civic restrictions: Simbiat Bakare
Simbiat Bakare, RFLD Country Representative, Nigeria. Simbiat Bakare brought the discussion back to community level. She described how civic space restrictions are felt by women organising in their own neighbourhoods and towns, where a group that supports a survivor can face pressure from the family of the accused, local leaders or officials.
Standing with survivors: Aua Baldé
Aua Baldé, member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and a human rights defender. Aua Baldé brought the perspective of organisations that work directly with survivors and families, and what they expect from regional and international mechanisms. Her presence connected the African system with the United Nations special procedures.
Shrinking civic space in West Africa: Omolara Balogun
Omolara Balogun, Head of Policy Influencing and Advocacy, WACSI. Omolara Balogun addressed the wider environment in which women’s organisations operate in West Africa: registration rules, reporting obligations, limits on foreign funding and laws on cybercrime or public order that can be used against activists.
Read the full report
Our report on the panel sets out what each speaker said and the follow-up RFLD will carry with the Commission, States and funders: Defending without being exposed: what the panel on women human rights defenders at the 89th Session of the African Commission discussed.
Our thanks to Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, to the panellists, to the SEA-T programme and to everyone who followed the panel in the room and online.
