The EAC is committed to promoting and protecting human rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights as provided for in Article 6 of the Treaty. As such, the Council decided to institutionalize annual meetings of national Human Rights Commissions into the institutional framework of the EAC. The purpose of cooperation in this sector is to facilitate to exchange views, information, challenges and best practices, share progress on implementing human rights programmes at national level to enhance cooperation at regional level. The Council adopted a Plan of Action on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in East Africa (EAC/CM 15/Decision 36).

The strategic interventions of the plan of action includes establishment of an EAC Bill of Rights with mechanisms for enforcement; establishment of an EAC Human Rights Policy forum; Capacity building for national institutions through development of National Action Plans; capacity building to comply with their reporting obligations in compliance with regional and international human rights instruments; and creation of awareness and understanding of human rights through education and training. [EAC Plan of action on Human Rights]

The sector has embarked on the development of the EAC Bill of Rights by considering the divergences and the convergences in the current Bills of Rights contained in the Partner States Constitutions. The current Bills of Rights do not adequately provide for the economic, social and cultural rights and dwells largely the human rights of individuals without covering the concept of group/collective rights, vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV and AIDS, the elderly and minorities.

They do not cover restrictions on speech to protect against hate speech which should be enumerated in a way to limit misuse of this freedom through clearly laid down criteria which is necessary given the emerging history of tribalism and ethnicism in the region. Though family forms an important aspect of African culture and society, nationality is still defined at national level such that pursuing human rights violators across the borders is embroiled in bureaucracy. These are some of the reason why an EAC Bill of rights is important in the protection and promotion of human rights in the EAC region.