Abstract This article scrutinizes the participation of NGOs in advisory proceedings of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Contrary to its regional counterparts, the Court allows NGOs to petition for advisory opinions. In addition, NGOs can contribute to its advisory proceedings as amici curiae. Surprisingly, the Court has only delivered two advisory opinions requested by an NGO within the last 15 years. Moreover, the rate of amici interventions by NGOs in this Court’s advisory cases has been exceptionally infrequent. This article views that the less productive use of ACtHPR’s advisory function by NGOs is a loss to the African human rights system and is attributable not only to the Court itself but also to NGOs and State parties to the ACtHPR. It also holds that amici NGOs have been very instrumental to advisory proceedings and having greater participation of amici NGOs would provide concrete benefits to the proceedings.

中文翻译：

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错失的机会：非政府组织参与非洲人权和人民权利法院的咨询程序

摘要 本文详细审查了非政府组织参与非洲人权和人民权利法院的咨询程序。与地区法院不同的是，法院允许非政府组织请求咨询意见。此外，非政府组织可以作为法庭之友为其咨询程序做出贡献。令人惊讶的是，在过去 15 年中，法院只提供了两个非政府组织要求的咨询意见。此外，非政府组织在本法院的咨询案件中介入的频率异常罕见。本文认为，非政府组织对 ACtHPR 咨询职能的低效使用是非洲人权体系的损失，这不仅归因于法院本身，也归因于非政府组织和 ACtHPR 的缔约国。