Fatma Zohra Sefsaf

Functional Title: Legal Officer at the African Court on Human and Peopel's Rights

Institution: OHCHR – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Email Address: Fatma.Sefsaf@african-court.org

Bio
I became familiar with human rights instruments, norms, and principles during my academic and professional training. For the past ten years, I led a team of lawyers working with partners in selected countries to encourage the use of international treaties having relevance to basic human rights in arguments before national jurisdictions in an attempt to make these instruments, norms and principles “live” documents.
In January 2012, I attended the first consultation between the Special Mechanisms of the UN and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. The aim was to discuss strategic and sustainable cooperation between the UN and the African regional system of human rights. I attended the 12th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in October 2011. I was also present when the CEDAW Committee examined the Periodic Report of Egypt in October 2011.
offering pro bono legal counsel for victims of human rights abuses; conducting training and other capacity-building efforts on the African Human Rights System and other human rights issues; publishing and disseminating information
From 2018 up to now, as a Legal officer in the African court; under the legal division
I coordinate the institutional arrangements and processes for the receipt and adjudication of complaints and applications on alleged violations of Charter rights, the receipt and processing of communications from and to state parties to the African Charter, and the protocol. I am responsible to prepare for the draft judgments and public hearings sessions using and according to the African Charter on human and people’s rights, the protocol, and all other international covenants of human rights. comprising the Plenary and the Court and giving advice on procedures.