The Admissibility of Subregional Courts’ Decisions before the African Commission. .. 247 Meanwhile, the plaintiff sued the Republic of Niger before the ECOWAS Court of Justice for violation of Articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 18(3) of the African Charter.33 Upon request of the plaintiff, the Court transferred its session to Niamey for hearing.34 Having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention relating to Slavery, the Convention relating to the Abolition of Slavery, Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the ECOWAS Court of Justice declared that the plaintiff was a victim of slavery and awarded her CFA 10,000,000.35 The Court blamed the defendant for inaction of its administrative and judicial authorities.36 In Registered Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP) v Nigeria, the ECOWAS Court of Justice dealt with admissibility of a case brought against the Federal Republic of Nigeria by human rights non-governmental organisation registered under the laws of the defendant. The plaintiff alleged that Nigeria violated Articles 1, 2, 17, 21 and 22 of the African Charter. 37 The ruling of the ECOWAS Court of Justice regarding jurisdiction was the following: This court clearly has subject matter jurisdiction over human rights violations in so far as these are recognized by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which is adopted by Article 4(g) of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS. As the plaintiff s claim is premised on Articles 1, 2, 17, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Court does have subject matter jurisdiction of the suit filed by the plaintiff.38 After asserting its jurisdiction over the case, the Court held that “[i]t is trite law that this court is empowered to apply the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 17 thereof guarantees the right to education. It is well established that the rights guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights are justiciable before this court”.39 The ECOWAS Court of Justice has been acclaimed as the first international judicial 33 Ibid, para 28. para 31-34. 35 Ibid,para 96. 36 Ibid. 37 Registered Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP) v Nigeria (2009) AHRLR 331 (ECOWAS 2009). 38 Ibid, para 13. 39 Ibid, para 19. 34 Ibid,

اختر الفقرة المستهدفة3