A Conference devoted to the African Union (AU) theme of “Advancing Justice through Reparations: Reparations, Restoration, and Renaissance” will be held on 2 and 3 June 2025, in Pretoria, South Africa. Papers presented at this Conference will be published in the 2025 African Human Rights Yearbook. The Yearbook is a collaboration between the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. The Yearbook is published annually
This international event is co-organised by the University of Pretoria (Centre for Human Rights/National Research Foundation Chair in International Constitutional Law), University of Goma, University of The Bahamas, and the Bahamas National Reparations Committee, in collaboration with the three African Union human rights bodies, CARICOM and the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.
Abstracts of papers to be presented at the Conference are invited on themes related to reparations for historical injustices and human rights violations due to transatlantic and other forms of enslavement, colonialism, and other forms of exploitation against Africans and people of African descent. Abstracts may also address issues such as the need for establishing a continental reparations framework and strategies for compensation; restitution,and restoration; historical injustice; economic exploitation; cultural heritage and knowledge appropriation; the role of African human rights bodies and AU in the reparations process; and education and cultural exchange programmes. Contributions reflecting on shared Africa-Caribbean experiences are in particular invited.
Abstracts of between 300 and 350 words should in a single WORD document indicate the following:
- the full name, degree qualifications, current professional position, and three-sentence personal cv of the author(s)
- the title (on a theme related to the AU “Year of Reparations”)
- the main anticipated insights or findings
Limited funding is available. Potential presenters applying for financial support should indicate and substantiate their need for funding.
Access African Human Rights Year Book
Abstracts should be submitted before 31 March 2025, by email, to:
Professor Frans Viljoen
Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
frans.viljoen@up.ac.za
Professor Trésor Makunya
University of Goma; Extraordinary Lecturer,
Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
makunya@unigom.ac.cd
Papers selected for presentation will be communicated by 15 April 2025.
