The Judicial Power of Africa's Supranational Courts: Introduction

Africa is home to a high number of international courts exercising supranational jurisdiction in diverse fields of law, including human rights and economic integration. This Special Issue discusses the judicial power of these institutions, analysing whether and how they are able to exercise effective review. The Special Issue also inquires into how the courts envisage their own role and whether they adopt approaches of activism or restraint. It is concluded that activist approaches have bolstered the authority of some of Africa's supranational courts, but resulted in backlashes in others, and that the involvement of civil society organisations is a crucial factor in this regard.