Webinar: Decriminalisation of petty offences in Africa – Events
WEBINAR: DECRIMINALISATION OF PETTY OFFENCES IN AFRICA: ADVOCACY AND MOBILISING DIRECTLY AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
The African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) will host a webinar to discuss advocacy and mobilisation of directly affected communities in the context of the Regional Campaign to Promote the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa.
As a member of the Regional Campaign, APCOF is part of a growing movement of organisations who initially advocated for, and are now promoting the implementation of, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ Principles on Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa (2017). The Principles encourage African states to find alternatives to arrest and detention for activities that, as a result of poverty or marginalisation, force people to perform life-sustaining activities in public places. To date, the Campaign has successfully engaged civil society organisations from across the continent to promote the implementation of the Principles at the regional and national level. However, there is a renewed focus on ensuring that the experiences and voices of those who are most impacted by the enforcement of minor offences – the poor and the marginalised – lead the Campaign decision-making and advocacy.
To promote the engagement of directly affected communities in the work of the Campaign, APCOF is bringing together experts on the issues of advocacy and community mobilisation to share their experiences:
- Tamara Ledger, Amnesty International’s Madagascar Programme Advisor, will discuss advocacy that targets government, and how to engage partners.
- Caryn Gootkin from Soupertroopers, a Cape Town-based community organisation, will share her experiences regarding the mobilisation of homeless people in direct advocacy.
- Maria-Goretti Logo, an African consultant working for the International Drug Policy Consortium, will provide information about the Consortium’s advocacy work and the involvement of sex workers and other marginalised groups in their projects.
The session will be moderated by APCOF Project and Research Officer, Chumile Sali.
To join this webinar, please RSVP to Helene van der Watt: helene@apcof.org.za, who will provide you with the link to join using the WebEx platform.
For more information on the Regional Campaign to promote the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa, please visit www.pettyoffences.org