Rule of exhaustion of local remedies before international jurisdictions: the case of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights

The rule of exhaustion of local remedies is a customary rule of international procedural law that is found particularly in the field of diplomatic protection, international arbitration and international human rights litigation. The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, which is the youngest international court for the protection of human rights, has developed substantial jurisprudence regarding its interpretation of exhaustion of domestic remedies. This paper seeks to analyse the African Court's approach in order to see to what extent it departs from traditional approaches and whether it is quick to promote individual access to the African international courtroom.