African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

Article 17 Administration of Juvenile Justice

• Paragraph 1
  Every child accused or found guilty of having infringed penal law shall have the right to special treatment in a manner consistent with the child’s sense of dignity and worth and which reinforces the child’s respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of others.


• Paragraph 2
  State Parties to the present Charter shall in particular:
• Point a
  ensure that no child who is detained or imprisoned or otherwise deprived of his/her liberty is subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;


• Point b
  ensure that children are separated from adults in their place of detention or imprisonment;


• Point c
  ensure that every child accused of infringing the penal law:


• Point i
  shall be presumed innocent until duly recognised guilty;


• Point ii
  shall be informed promptly in a language that he understands and in detail of the charge against him, and shall be entitled to the assistance of an interpreter if he or she cannot understand the language used;


• Point iii
  shall be afforded legal and other appropriate assistance in the preparation and presentation of his defence;


• Point iv
  shall have the matter determined as speedily as possible by an impartial tribunal and if found guilty, be entitled to an appeal by a higher tribunal;


• Point d
  prohibit the press and the public from the trial.
• Paragraph 3
  The essential aim of treatment of every child during the trial and also if found guilty of infringing the penal law shall be his or her reformation, reintegration into his or her family and social rehabilitation.


• Paragraph 4
  There shall be a minimum age below which children shall be presumed not to have the capacity to infringe the penal law.