RESOLUTION ON GUIDELINES AND MEASURES FOR THE PROHIBITION AND PREVENTION OF TORTURE, CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT IN AFRICA Part I: Prohibition of Torture A. Ratification of Regional and International Instruments 1. States should ensure that they are a party to relevant international and regional human rights instruments and ensure that these instruments are fully implemented in domestic legislation and accord individuals the maximum scope for accessing the human rights machinery that they establish. This would include: a) Ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights establishing an African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights; b) Ratification of or accession to the UN Convention against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment without reservations, to make declarations accepting the jurisdiction of the Committee against Torture under Articles 21 and 22 and recognising the competency of the Committee to conduct inquiries pursuant to Article 20; c) Ratification of or accession to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the First Optional Protocol thereto without reservations; d) Ratification of or accession to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court; B. Promote and Support Co-operation with International Mechanisms 2. States should co-operate with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and promote and support the work of the Special Rapporteur on prisons and conditions of detention in Africa, the Special Rapporteur on arbitrary, summary and extra-judicial executions in Africa and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of women in Africa. 3. States should co-operate with the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies, with the UN Commission on Human Rights’ thematic and country specific special procedures, in particular, the UN Special THE ROBBEN ISLAND GUIDELINES 05