Campaign timeline

2023
Campaign recommendations incorporated into UN CCPCJ resolution

Campaign members supported Canada-sponsored 'Equal Access to Justice for All' resolution calling for the establishment of an expert committee on the criminalization of poverty and status.

2023
Malawi declares unconstitutional the banning of dreadlocks

On 8 May 2023, the High Court of Malawi delivered a judgment declaring that the Government policy requiring all learners, including children of the Rastafari community, to cut their hair before admission into government schools is unlawful.

2023
Uganda declares parts of ‘Rogue and Vagabond’ Offence unconstitutional

The Constitutional Court of Uganda  declared parts of the offence of being a ‘rogue and vagabond’ as unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

2022
Francphone partners launch Djerba Declaration

At the 18th Summit of the Organisation de la Francophonie (OIF) in Djerba, Tunisia, the campaign's francophone partners launched the Djerba Declaration which presents the issue, key recommendations to be considered and a clear call to action for the OIF.

2022
The Cape Declaration adopted

At the Campaign's Annual Convening, held in Stellenbosch, South Africa in September 2022, members drafted the Cape Declaration, calling on stakeholders to join the fight to decriminalise poverty, status and activism.

2022
Campaign members reach 50

With a growing membership and expanded global scope, the campaign's official membership hit 50 organisations from across the world.

2022
Campaign expands focus and scope

After a strategic meeting, the Campaign re-emerges as the 'Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status', broadening it's scope to include other regions, such as Caribbean, S Asia & North America; as well as social, political and economic status and activism.

2022
Counting the Cost of Exclusion

At this virtual meeting, campaign started to explore the complex interplay between social, economic and political exclusion, and criminalisation, as a precursor to expanding the campaign's scope.

2021
Nigerian High Court denounces violation of women's rights by law enforcement agencies

In declaring the actions of the Joint Task Force in arresting women as an infringement on their rights, the Court granted a perpetual injunction to restrain law enforcement agencies from arresting women in similar circumstances without a court order.

2021
Malawian High Court outlaws sweeping arrests

Malawian High Court declared the police’s indiscriminate sweeping exercises unlawful and in violation of various constitutional rights and international human rights standards.

2021
Righting a Wrong! Virtual Convening

During the “Righting a Wrong!” virtual convening, both duty bearers and rights holders reflected on the implications for practice of the African Court's Advisory opinion, and provide guidance to States on strategies for domestication at national level.

2020
Advisory Opinion Issued

On 4 December 2020, African Court made it clear that these laws were discriminatory and perpetuated poverty and marginalisation. The African Court also called on African states to take action in this regard.

2020
Campaign holds Regional Conference
In September 2020, the campaign hosted a virtual conference to deliberate on issues relating to the balancing of rights in the midst of a pandemic.
2020
Simplified version of principles launched
A simplified version of the ‘Principles’ was launched during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR in November 2020.
2020
Online tool launched

Lawyers Alert in Nigeria created an online tool to document human rights violations associated with petty offences laws.

2019
International Petty Offenses Symposium held in Miami

Participants critically examined issues from a variety of perspectives and explored the use of litigation; human rights advocacy at the local, national, regional, and international levels; and creative campaigning in challenging petty offenses.

2019
#PoorNotGuilty launched at Miami Conference

At a communication workshop, advocates selected the hashtag #PoorNotGuilty to amplify and support advocacy addressing the criminalization of poverty, especially homelessness.

2019
Model Police Law adopted by Pan African Parliament
Pan-African Parliament adopted a Model Police Law for Africa recognising that alternatives to arrest should be implemented by law enforcement agencies and officials for minor and petty offences.
2019
Successful litigation in Zimbabwe
SALC represented Ricky Nathanson (a transgender person) and obtained a successful judgment in the Zimbabwe High Court awarding damages to him for wrongful arrest for being a criminal nuisance.
2019
Kenyan Report reveals shortcomings in criminal justice system

'Status of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice' report raises concerns about the quality of prosecutions as almost half of appealed convictions, either led to acquittal, reduction of sentence, a retrial or change of conviction.

2019
Kenya issues practice directions on touting
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Kenya issued practice directions on handling the offence of touting, based on recommendations from ICJ-Kenya advocacy and research.
2019
Uganda and Nigeria launch National Coalitions to decriminalise petty offences

Civil society organizations in both Uganda and Nigeria agree to work together towards decriminalising petty offences in their respective countries.

2017
CCJ declares Guyana cross-dressing law unconstitutional

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled that a law in Guyana, which makes it a criminal offence for a man or a woman to appear in a public place while dressed in clothing of the opposite sex for an “improper purpose”, is unconstitutional.

2017
Research report published
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Ghana released a report ‘Decriminalising and declassifying petty offences in Ghana’.
2017
ACHPR adopts Principles

The campaign supported the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to develop and adopt in 2017 the Principles on the Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in Africa.

2017
Kenya establishes committee to review criminal justice system
Chief Justice of Kenya gazetted the formation of a National Steering Committee to review the criminal justice system and specifically petty offences, informed by ICJ-Kenya research.
2017
Landmark ruling in Malawi on 'rogue and vagabond' law
SALC and CHREAA successfully litigated in Mayeso Gwanda and obtained a High Court judgement declaring that the rogue and vagabond offence contained in the Malawi Penal Code is unconstitutional.
2016
Research report published
Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) published findings that there were 958 cases of people arrested for being idle and disorderly between 2011 and 2015, in Uganda.
2016
Successful litigation in touting case in Malawi

SALC and CHREAA successfully assisted 21 minibus touts (also known as minibus ‘callboys’) who earn money by attracting passengers to board minibuses.

2016
Successful litigation in sexworkers case in Malawi
SALC and CHREAA represented 19 Malawian women who were arrested and charged with the offence of living on the earnings of prostitution contrary to the Penal Code.
2016
Research report published
Southern African Litigation Centre report highlighted sex workers’ experiences of police abuse and their vulnerability to discrimination, harassment and physical and sexual abuse by police officials.
2015
'Poverty is not a Crime'
Campaign adopts the rallying cry of 'Poverty is not a Crime' as the primary means for advocating for the repeal of petty offences.
2015
Successful litigation in Zambia
SALC litigated successfully in Kasonkomona in the Zambia High Court, acquitting him of the charges of ‘idle and disorderly’ and soliciting for an immoral purpose.
2015
Research report published
‘Punished for being poor: Evidence and arguments for the decriminalisation of petty offences’ provided evidence of how these laws disporportionately target poor and marginalised groups.
2014
Campaign Started
In 2014, seven criminal justice and human rights organisations in Africa decided to do something about the situation.
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The Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status is a coalition of organisations from across the world that advocate for the repeal of laws that target people based on poverty, status or for their activism.

@DecrimPS

#DecrimPoverty   |  #DecrimStatus  |  #DecrimActivism