Legal Defence Fund

IHRDA, with the generous support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), is operating a fund for individuals/groups litigating cases before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACmHPR). The fund covers travel, accommodation and other related expenses. Applicants seeking to access this fund must fulfill the following criteria:

• Must be a national/organisation of an ECOWAS state, Cameroon, Chad or Mauritania;  
• Must have a communication [cases before the African Commission are referred to as ‘communications’] before the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights [ACmHPR].

Applications should consist of the following:

An application letter with full contact details;

Description of the communication including detailed information on the progress of your communication with the ACmHPR  - approximately 800 words;

Evidence of nationality [e.g. copy of ID, NGO or company registration document].

Applications should be addressed to The Executive Director, IHRDA.

Applications for this Fund must be received six (6) weeks before the commencement of an Ordinary Session of the ACmHPR, which are generally held in May and November of each year.

NB: All applications for grants, although made directly to IHRDA as administrator of the Fund, shall be approved in consultation with OSIWA.

Past Recipients of Grants under the Legal Defence Fund

Since 2003, litigants of the following communications before the ACmHPR have received funding:

270/03 Access to Justice / Nigeria (Right to Life; Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest)

Funded in November 2004

Grant amount: $7136

249/02 African Institute for Human Rights and Development (on behalf of Sierra Leonean refugees in Guinea)/Republic of Guinea (Freedom from Discrimination; Prohibition of Torture, and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment; State Responsibility for Refugee Welfare)

Funded in November 2004

Grant amount: $1019

272/03 Collectif des victimes des violences post électorales de la région nord-ouest & Interights / Cameroon (Right to Fair Trial)

Funded in November 2004, May 2005 and May 2006

Total grant amount: $18421

266/03 Dr Gumde & 17 Others Members of the Southern Cameroons National Council-SCNC and Southern Cameroons Peoples’ Organisation-SCAPO, acting for themselves and on behalf of the people of Southern Cameroons) / Cameroon (Right of All Peoples to Equality and Rights & Right to Self Determination)

Funded in November 2005

Grant amount: $12,940

287/04 Titanji Duga Ernest [on behalf of Cheonomu Martin and others] / Cameroon

Funded in November 2006

Grant amount: $1,878