Laurence Helfer spearheads project examining human rights cases in African regional courts

KIE Senior Fellow and Duke Law Professor Laurence Helfer traveled to Africa this summer to further an ongoing project working with sub-regional legal organizations in Africa. The three courts, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), all have the power to bring suits against countries within their sub-regions.

Helfer says, “These courts are similar in many ways: They are located in Africa, they exercise jurisdiction over countries in various stages of transition to democracy, and they were initially created to advance economic integration and trade in their respective sub-regions. Perhaps most remarkably, the dockets of all three courts expanded to include human rights cases at around the same time.” Further information may be found at Duke Law.