The criminal justice system in many African countries is characterized by widespread criminalization and punishment of petty offenses through arbitrary arrests which provides a basis for the violation of human rights of poor, marginalized and vulnerable people. Particularly for poor and marginalized groups, the justice system can be difficult to understand and navigate due to obstacles, such as lack of financial resources and lack of awareness on how to access the justice system

It is against this that the Africa Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) is engaged in a campaign alongside its partners to decriminalize and declassify petty offenses in the region and instead find alternative punishment such as utilization of Community Service Orders.The campaign is engineered to change the justice system as well as find alternative ways to deal with petty offenses

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights at its 63rd ordinary session on October 25, 2018, adopted the “Principles on the Declassification and Decriminalization of Petty Offences in Africa.”