Fifteen African countries, excluding Ghana and Nigeria, have ratified the Protocol establishing an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Member states include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, Cote D'Ivoire, Gambia, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, and Uganda.

Barrister Femi Falana who briefed newsmen yesterday said the Protocol establishing the court, arose from the need to improve on the performance of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), based on the African Charter of 1986.

The court is expected to arbitrate on human rights violation cases, and help correct and check various cases of human rights abuse taking place all over the continent. Its operations take effect from January 29, thirty days after Comoros Island, the fifteenth member state, ratified it last December 26.

Falana who is Secretary-General of the African Bar Association (ABA), said moves were being made to ensure the active participation of all African countries. He called on other countries that have not ratified the Protocol (including Nigeria and Ghana) to do so without any further delay.

"The Court will exercise jurisdiction in respect of cases alleging the infringement of human rights referred to it by the ACHPR as well as State Parties to the Protocol. However, individuals and non-governmental organisations can only file cases in the Court subject to the consent of a State Party", he stated.