By Magdalene Wanja - Reporter
Kenya, 17 July 2026 - The Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) has launched a digital scorecard to monitor African countries' implementation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) Principles on the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa.
The web-based Petty Offences Scorecard was unveiled during a virtual webinar held to mark the International Day of Criminal Justice. Developed by NANHRI in partnership with the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) under the Global Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status, the platform aims to measure progress in reforming laws that disproportionately criminalise poverty and survival-related activities such as begging, loitering, street hawking and sleeping in public spaces.
According to NANHRI, the scorecard provides National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), civil society organisations and policymakers with an evidence-based framework to assess states' compliance with the ACHPR principles and advocate for legal and policy reforms that uphold human rights.
NANHRI Executive Director Gilbert Sebihogo said the scorecard is based on a standardised questionnaire piloted in Kenya, South Africa and Côte d'Ivoire. The assessments draw on national and local legislation, court decisions and case law, police and court data where available, as well as research, media reports and information from civil society organisations and NHRIs.
"Beyond tracking compliance, the platform seeks to encourage African governments to align domestic laws with regional human rights standards while strengthening accountability in addressing laws that disproportionately affect people living in poverty," Sebihogo said.
Executive Director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), Demas Kiprono, said efforts to decriminalise petty offences have faced significant challenges but have also recorded encouraging progress.
"It has been a journey full of challenges, but there has been remarkable progress," Kiprono said.
He pointed to litigation involving discrimination against sex workers as an example of how legal reform efforts can generate public backlash and misconceptions.
"Even as we launch, we need to be aware of the impacts and move along with the people to avoid misconceptions about the offences," he said.
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The launch also highlighted findings from pilot assessments in Kenya, South Africa and Côte d'Ivoire, demonstrating how the scorecard can be be used to monitor implementation of the ACHPR principles and support advocacy for repealing or amending laws that criminalise poverty and marginalised communities.
ACHPR Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela emphasised the importance of promoting alternatives to imprisonment for petty offences.
"The aim is not always to have laws changed, but to ensure that those laws are properly implemented," she said.
Sean Tait, founder and Director of the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), said one of the key challenges encountered during the development and pilot implementation of the scorecard was limited access to reliable data.
"There is a need to ensure data is captured, recorded and made available," Tait said.
NANHRI and its partners expressed hope that the digital platform will become a practical resource for governments, national human rights institutions and civil society organisations working to advance justice, equality and human rights across Africa.