In March 2026, ACCA collaborated with the Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria, the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights at the University of Oslo and the University of Nairobi to deliver the Advanced Course on Business and Human Rights in Africa. Held over five days in Nairobi and online via Zoom, the course drew participants from civil society organisations, academia, legal practice, government institutions and community-based organisations across the continent.
A key highlight of the training was the series of panels and roundtables that brought together business representatives, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), civil society organisations and local communities. The discussions began with affected community members sharing first-hand experiences of the human rights impacts of mining and the barriers they face in seeking redress. These ground-level perspectives provided an important foundation for the wider discussions, as other participants shared their own experiences, challenges and perspectives on the roles they play in addressing business-related human rights impacts.
Bringing these different voices into the same space allowed participants to hear directly from one another and to better understand the different roles, expectations and challenges that shape corporate accountability in practice. The discussions also examined the role of state protection mechanisms and helped translate the concerns and priorities raised by affected communities into practical recommendations for the African Union Draft Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The training formed part of ACCA’s broader work to advance mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (mHREDD) across Africa. As the continent moves from voluntary commitments towards stronger legal and regulatory frameworks, ACCA continues to support efforts to promote binding corporate accountability laws that require businesses to identify, prevent, mitigate and address human rights and environmental harms, while ensuring access to effective remedy where harm occurs. For ACCA, this work is about supporting African approaches to corporate accountability that respond to the realities and priorities of communities, workers and other rights-holders. The conversation did not end with the training. Key discussions were also captured through a series of podcasts, providing participants with a further platform to share their experiences and perspectives and allowing the wider ACCA network to engage with the issues raised during the panels.
ACCA is grateful to all its partners and supporters who continue to make this work possible. We extend our special appreciation to the Global Initiative for Corporate Accountability (GICA), whose funding made the practical implementation of this training possible. Their support enabled ACCA to bring together the diverse range of participants whose experiences and perspectives are central to advancing corporate accountability in Africa. We are grateful for this partnership and for its contribution to the broader effort to move the business and human rights agenda from voluntary commitments towards binding human rights and environmental due diligence laws in Africa.
For more informatio, please contact:
Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 4197
Fax: +27 (0) 86 580 5743
dennis.antwi@up.ac.za
Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 6398
Fax: +27 (0) 86 580 5743
basimanyane.k@up.ac.za
