This issue of the African Human Rights Law Journal appears as the independence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Commission) remains under threat. This follows a decision of the African Union's Executive Council Decision in 2015 in which it not only gave an ultimatum to the Commission to withdraw the observer status granted to the Coalition of African Lesbians, but also demanded a revision of the Commission's guidelines on granting observer status to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This development signals a concerted attempt to erode human rights at both the regional and national levels in Africa. Against this background scholarly reflection on aspects of human rights - as contained in this issue of the Journal - is all the more important.