African Human Security Initiative (AHSI)

This document is a master questionnaire and guideline for the African Human Security Initiative (AHSI2), a project designed to assess the efficacy of criminal justice systems in selected African countries. It aims to complement the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) by providing empirical evidence on crime, policing, and the judiciary to help governments bridge gaps between national commitments and implementation.

• The AHSI2 project is designed to complement the formal New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) processes by focusing specifically on the criminal justice systems of selected countries undergoing APRM review.
• The project operates on the premise that development in Africa requires a secure environment, adopting a 'security first' or 'security and development' approach where human security depends on a functioning state system.
• The assessment framework evaluates national adherence to various regional and international instruments, including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (1981), and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (1985).
• The guideline treats crime in Africa as a developmental concern rather than a law enforcement issue, noting that efforts to find diagnostic solutions are hindered by weak institutional capacity and a lack of basic statistics on prisons, courts, and prosecutions.
• The project seeks to analyze the independence of the judiciary and the Office of Public Prosecutions (DPP), noting that executive interference often skews justice delivery in many African countries and that the Attorney General's political role can conflict with non-political public service functions.
• The assessment focuses on access to justice for marginalized groups, specifically examining gender disparities in salary structures, the needs of female victims of rape and domestic violence, and the availability of resources for the rural poor.
• The framework includes an evaluation of juvenile justice, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment, and examines the role of customary or traditional justice systems in post-conflict societies and their relationship with national constitutions.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). African Human Security Initiative (AHSI). https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M159APPEN1.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. African Human Security Initiative (AHSI). n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M159APPEN1.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=African Human Security Initiative (AHSI) |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M159APPEN1.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndafrican, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{African Human Security Initiative (AHSI)}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M159APPEN1.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }