My work in the first and the last quarter focused on West Africa. In the first quarter I attended the Conference of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) held in Burkina Faso. I made presentations on:
1. Ethics and HIV in Africa and sexual violence;
2. Women living in war-torn countries. [1]

I used the opportunity to reach out to members of SWAA and distributed copies of IHN and IHI. On my way to the conference I made a stopover in Mali where I met Prof. Mariko of the University of Bamako. Mariko is a secular intellectual and thinks that there are prospects for Humanism and secularism in Mali. While in Burkina Faso I visited the country’s only university, met some students and gave out some copies of IHI and La Raison. In May, I travelled to Benin and Togo. In Benin I met Me Reine Alapini-Gansou [2], who put me in touch with human rights groups in Benin. I told them about the mission of IHEU and its human rights work and encouraged them to join us as partners. I gave out copies of the IHI. I also met a local Humanistic group Cercle des Ouvriers Humanists du Benin. I also visited the University of Benin at Calavi

In Togo I visited the University of Lome, met students and gave out copies of IHI and La Raison. I also met human rights activists at the office of Amnesty International in Lome. We discussed how we could collaborate to further the human rights agenda in West Africa.

During the year, I met Ebou Sohna who is leading efforts to develop a Humanist group in the Gambia. He plans to grow and develop Humanism by promoting critical thinking and fighting superstition. Ebou is trying to raise money to inaugurate his group and launch campaigns in the Gambia.

In October Nigerian Humanists organised a National Conference on the Osu caste system. The Conference was the first Humanist event to be held in Imo state At the end of the Conference some participants came together to start a state chapter. News about the Conference was carried by the local media. The theme of the Conference was the subject of many online discussions. Months after the Conference I continue to receive emails from journalists and researchers on the issue. On April 2 2009 one of the Conference participants inaugurated a local Centre for the Abolition of the Caste System in Imo State.

The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights
The African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) meets twice every year, in May and November, to examine the human rights situation in Africa and find out the measures state parties have taken to fulfil their obligations under the Charter. Last year the Commission met in May in Swaziland and in November in Nigeria. Each meeting of the Commission lasts for 14 days – seven days of public session and seven days of private session. Every meeting is preceded by an NGO Forum, which lasts for three days. In Swaziland I attended the NGO Forum and contributed to the work of special- interest groups on Freedom of Expression, Minority rights and LGBT. I contributed to the resolutions on Eritrea and on food security. During the session, I met local Humanist activist, Mandla Ntshakala. Mandla is working to establish a Humanist group in Swaziland. We discussed ways IHEU could support his efforts. Mandla thinks that Humanism can help Swaziland tackle superstition and improve the human rights situation in the country. I visited the country’s university, met some students and distributed Humanist literature.

In Nigeria, I attended the NGO Forum and was one of the facilitators of the special-interest group on Freedom of Expression and Religion. I drafted a resolution on Freedom of Religion or Belief which was unanimously adopted. But the very important result from the Abuja meeting was the granting of observer status to IHEU. This was published in the Commission's communiqué [3]. With observer status, IHEU can now make statements at the public sessions of the Commission and take a full part in the Commission's activities.

1 http://www.swaaburkina.org/fr/11eme-conference/documents/doc/6/raw
2 www.achpr.org/english/Commissioner's%20Activity/44th%20OS/ Special%20Rapporteurs/Human%20Rights%20Defenders.pdf
3 www.achpr.org/english/communiques/Final%20Communique%20_44. pdf

Leo Igwe is IHEU Represntative for West Africa