Campaign timeline
SALC and CHREAA successfully assisted 21 minibus touts (also known as minibus ‘callboys’) who earn money by attracting passengers to board minibuses.
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.
Lawyers Alert in Nigeria created an online tool to document human rights violations associated with petty offences laws.
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.
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.
At this virtual meetings, campaign started to explore the complex interplay between social, economic and political exclusion, and criminalisation, as a precursor to expanding the campaign's 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.
With a growing membership and expanded global scope, the campaign's official membership hit 50 organisations from across the world.
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.

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