The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), in partnership with the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) at the University of the Witwatersrand and Reform Initiatives (RI), is planning to request an Advisory Opinion from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (“African Court”). The proposed Request seeks judicial clarification of the right to reparations for historical injustices, with particular attention to the continuing legal consequences of enslavement, colonialism, apartheid, and related systems of injustice, and their implications for the rights guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (“African Charter”).

The process for this strategic litigation initiative has evolved through a structured process of expert consultation,collaborative drafting, and strategic planning. First, the partners gathered in Johannesburg in August 2025 for an expert consultation to test the feasibility of the proposed Request. The Johannesburg process established the conceptual foundations of the project, identified the principal legal questions to be addressed through the Request, set out key legal considerations for a successful Advisory Opinion, and recommended the establishment of an Expert Advisory Committee to
provide ongoing technical guidance throughout the drafting process.

Between August 2025 and May 2026, drafting of the Request commenced under the leadership of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). The Expert Advisory Committee was also constituted, comprising legal professionals from diverse backgrounds, including academia, litigation, and policy advisory.