"The purpose of this study is to interrogate the doctrine of margin of appreciation as applied in the European Court of Human Rights and establish amenable lessos to the African human rights system. As such, the author will be able to draw appropriate and informed recommendations on the prospects of the doctrine in African context. In other words, the study proceeds from the approach that 'diversity' alone is not enough to guarantee application of margin of appreciation. Rather, a variety of factors come into consideration while weighing whether margin of appreciation should be granted to states. Indeed, such benchmarks will inform the discourse of this study, while at the same time acknowledging that a comparative study between European and African systems cannot be possible. The premise for disqualifying a comparison assumes that margin of appreciation presupposes a democratic society. Thus, while the member states of the ECHR have attained high levels of human rights records, some of their counterparts in Africa are still marred by embarrassing human rights records." -- Preamble. "Chapter one introduces the study and the context in which it is set. It highlights the basis and structure of the study. Chapter two makes reference to the connotation, origin and development of the doctrine of margin of appreciation. It discusses also contours and varying degrees of the doctrine's application with particular regard to respect of the rule of law. In addition, difficulties linked to the doctrine are highlighted. Chapter three highlights policy grounds underlying margin of appreciation in the European Court of Human Rights. It starts from most decisive policy grounds and moves to weaker ones. Chapter four examines the legal basis for application of the doctrine of margin of appreciation under the African Charter. It further notes the attitude of African states through their submissions claiming margin. The Prince case as the first of its kind to invoke margin of appreciation is discussed. Chapter five attempts to identify the defensibility and indefensibility of the doctrine in [the] African human rights system. Chapter six consists of a summary of the presentation and the conclusions drawn from the entire study." -- Introduction. / Prepared under the supervision of Prof. Gilles Cistac at the Faculty of Law, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mocambique / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2006. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

La régionalisation des droits de l'homme a permis l'adoption de plusieurs instruments juridiques visant à assurer la protection des droits de l'homme. Dans cette optique, l'Afrique s'est dotée en 1981 d'une Charte africaine des droits de l'homme et des peuples. Les rédacteurs de la Charte africaine ont voulu adopter un texte qui tienne compte des spécificités et diversités culturelles du continent. Ainsi à côté des droits de première, deuxième et troisième génération, la Charte africaine consacre les droits des peuples et proclame des devoirs. Le volet institutionnel de la protection des droits de l'homme en Afrique a pris tout son sens avec la création de la Cour africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples. Toutefois, il faut souligner le rôle important qu’a joué et continue à jouer la Commission africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples, organe non juridictionnel, certes, mais qui œuvre pour la promotion des droits de l’homme en Afrique. La place accordée aux droits de l’homme dans les constitutions des États africains est révélatrice de l’intérêt particulier accordé à ces droits. / The decentralization of human rights has favoured the setting up of a number of legal instruments more properly equipped to insure the protection of human rights. With this in view, in 1981 Africa drafted the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights. The authors of the African Charter were anxious to provide a legislation that would take into account the specificities and cultural diversity of their continent. In this way, alongside the rights of first, second and third generations, the African Charter enshrines the rights of her peoples and proclaims their duties. The institutional side of the protection of human rights in African has taken on its full significance with the creation of the African Court of Human and People’s Rights. However, even if the organization has no legal power, we should not underestimate the importance of the role played in its defence of Human rights in Africa by the African Commission of Human and People’s rights. The pride of place given to human rights in the constitutions of African States shows how they prioritize these rights.

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The death penalty has been an issue of debate for decades and it is of great relevance at present. Different reasons have emerged that make recourse to the death penalty appear necessary, such as, that it serves as a deterrent, it meets the need for retribution and that public opinion demands its imposition. Conversely, more convincing arguments have been raised for its abolition, amongst which is the argument that it is a violation of human rights. Africa is seen as one of the “death penalty regions” in the world, as most African states still retain the death penalty despite the growing international human rights standards and trends towards its abolition. Further, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights makes no mention of the death penalty. The death penalty in Africa is therefore an issue that one has to be particularly concerned about. During the 36th Ordinary Session (2004) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, for the first time, the death penalty was one of the issues discussed by the Commission. Commissioner Chirwa initiated debate about the abolition of the death penalty in Africa, urging the Commission to take a clear position on the subject. In view of this and the international human rights developments and trends on the death penalty, discourses on the abolition of the death penalty in Africa are much needed. Accordingly, this study examines the death penalty in Africa from a human rights perspective. It seeks to determine why African states retain the death penalty, the ways in which the current operation of the death penalty in African states conflicts with human rights, what causes obstructions to its abolition in Africa, and whether it is appropriate for African states to join the international trend for the abolition of the death penalty. The current status and operation of the death penalty in Africa is first examined. The historical background to the death penalty in Africa from a traditional and western perspective is also discussed. Subsequently, the main arguments advanced by Africans (including African leaders, writers, priests and government officials) for the retention of the death penalty in Africa are evaluated. The study goes further to examine the death penalty in African states in the light of the right to life, the prohibition of cruel inhuman and degrading treatment and fair trial rights at both the international and national levels. After examining the death penalty in African states, the study arrives at the conclusion that it is appropriate for African states to join the international trend for the abolition of the death penalty, considering that the death penalty in Africa conflicts with human rights, the justifications for its retention are fundamentally flawed, and that alternatives to the death penalty in Africa exist. A number of recommendations are then made, which are geared towards the abolition of the death penalty in Africa. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

L’évaluation de l’expérience de l’Unité africaine par rapport à l’Unité européenne dépasse l’aspect conceptuel car orientée vers une philosophie d’intérêt commun. Ainsi, il faut reconnaitre que l’idée d’Union en elle-même, est née d’un ensemble de circonstances historiques, politiques et socio-économiques. Cette évidence met en relief l’originalité de l’Union européenne qui, contrairement à l’Union africaine, a suscité une longue prise de conscience des pays fondateurs, lesquels se sont retrouvés à l’issue de la Seconde Guerre mondiale face à la nécessité de reconstruire leurs pays à tous les plans. A contrario, il semble que peu de nouveautés aient été apportées par l’Union africaine à l’Organisation de l’Unité africaine préexistante. Force est de constater, en outre, que l’Union africaine n’a fait que reconduire de façon formelle la structure institutionnelle de l’Union européenne sans prendre en compte la particularité socio culturelle et politico économique du continent africain. / The evaluation of African Unity’s experience in relation to the European Unity exceeds the conceptual aspect as oriented toward a philosophy of mutual interest. Thus, we must recognize that the idea of ​​Union itself was born of a set of historical, political and socioeconomic. This evidence highlights the originality of the European Union who, unlike the African Union, sparked a long awareness of the founding countries, which met at the end of World War II faced with the need to rebuild their country at all levels. Conversely, it seems that little new has been made by the African Union to the Organization of African Unity preexisting. It is clear, moreover, that the African Union has only formally renew the institutional structure of the European Union without taking into account the socio-cultural and politico economic peculiarity of the African continent.