24 PRACTICE NOTE 5 LEGAL AVENUES TOWARDS JUSTICE FOR ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE IN AFRICA STRATEGIC LITIGATION OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES IN AFRICA c) The ECOWAS Court has the competence to hear individual complaints of alleged human rights violations, including rights deriving from the UDHR, the African Charter, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). However, only individuals whose countries are members of the ECOWAS can file a complaint within the court. Add. Protocol/ Declaration Acquired Hears Complaints from Individuals Hears Complaints from NGOs Hears Complaints from States May Order Interim Measures Exhaustion of Domestic Remedies Required Time Limits ACHPR ACtHPR ECOWAS United Nations Human Rights System Victims of enforced disappearance can submit their complaints to the relevant UN human rights and treaty monitoring bodies. The individual complaints can only be filed after the exhaustion of domestic remedies and only when the State Party has ratified the relevant treaty and accepted the competence of the specific treaty body to review individual complaints. There are several avenues within the UN system that victims can use to pursue justice, including those below. a) The Human Rights Committee (HRC) is an 18-member body of experts tasked with monitoring State Parties’ compliance with the ICCPR. The Committee may consider individual communications regarding violations of the ICCPR by any States that are party to the Optional Protocol to the Covenant. 116 States have ratified the Optional Protocol so far. Some States have lodged reservations limiting the HRC’s competence to examine particular complaints, despite having ratified the Optional Protocol.