The African charter on human and peoples' rights as the most significant human rights instrument in Africa: development history

This article examines the evolution of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights over the forty-one years of its existence (1981-2022). It reflects the origins of the Charter and marks the slow and long progress of its adoption. In addition, it simultaneously also traces the history of the development of the African regional human rights system, as well as assesses the main changes in the regional human rights system in Africa and the current challenges faced in adequately responding to the needs of rapidly developing African societies in the era of globalization.