human rights

UN urges peaceful response amid Venezuela election controversy

The United Nations says it is extremely concerned about widespread protests and arrests in Venezuela. Protests erupted as anger grew over the awarding of Sunday's election to President Nicolas Maduro despite claims by the opposition that it had won. On Monday, the election board declared that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of votes. The Secretary General's spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric says that all political leaders should reject violence. […]

July 31, 2024 33

Opinion Pieces

Rich countries are paying poorer ones to manage their refugee crises: 3 reasons this is dangerous

By Ali Bhagat, Simon Fraser University and Genevieve LeBaron, Simon Fraser University In recent years, western nations have been sending asylum seekers who arrive at their borders to other countries. This is a practice known as offshoring. The UK has become the recent poster country of this practice. The UK, whose plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was later scrapped after domestic and […]

July 31, 2024 24

Africa

Biden Administration supports AGOA re-authorisation

The Biden administration is supporting the early extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, allowing over 30 sub-Saharan African countries to maintain duty-free access to the U.S. market. Joy Basu, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs, confirmed this during a press briefing, saying the United States supports an early re-authorization before AGOA expires in September 2025. Since its enactment in 2000, the […]

July 30, 2024 42

Namibia

Government appeals High Court ruling on sodomy laws

The government has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging a High Court ruling that declared the country's sodomy laws unconstitutional. The decision, delivered on June 21 by Judges Shafimana Ueitele, Claudia Claasen, and Nate Ndauendapo, deemed the laws discriminatory and in violation of constitutional rights. In its appeal, the government argues that the High Court did not adequately consider key factors, including public opinion and the original intentions […]

July 25, 2024 96

Africa

Human rights in Niger ‘in free fall’ since coup: NGOs

Human rights in Niger are "in free fall" on the eve of the one-year anniversary of a coup that saw the military seize power, three international NGOs said Thursday. General Abdourahamane Tiani, heading the military regime, seized power on July 26 last year, after deposing elected president Mohamed Bazoum over allegations of failing to protect the West African nation from jihadist attacks. "The military authorities in […]

July 25, 2024 25

World

European rights court upholds French law against buying sex

A French law criminalising clients of prostitutes does not infringe on the European Convention on Human Rights, the continent's top rights court ruled Thursday. A group of 261 men and women sex workers had turned to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the 2016 law, which threatens buyers of sex with fines of up to 1,500 euros ($1,630), which can be more then doubled for […]

July 25, 2024 18

Africa

Scattered anti-government protests in Kenya

By Hillary Orinde Hundreds of protesters took to the streets across Kenyan towns on Tuesday in defiance of a police ban, the latest in a series of demonstrations that have rocked the East African nation. Activists led by young Gen-Z Kenyans launched peaceful rallies last month over steep tax increases but they spiralled into deadly violence, before morphing into wider anger against President William Ruto's government. […]

July 23, 2024 18

Africa

ZAPU skeptical of Zimbabwe Government’s role in Gukurahundi hearings

The Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) is skeptical of the government's involvement in the ongoing Gukurahundi hearings, citing concerns about transparency and impartiality. In a statement to Future Media, ZAPU spokesperson, Brian Ncube expressed reservations, pointing out the historical implications of current leaders in the atrocities under review. "As ZAPU, we view the government's role in the Gukurahundi hearings with skepticism," said Ncube. "We have consistently advocated for justice for […]

July 18, 2024 57

Africa

Gender apartheid: oppression of women should be made a crime against humanity – feminist academic explains why

By Penelope Andrews, New York Law School Crimes against humanity are occurring with impunity around the globe; from Myanmar to Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. And yet, unlike international treaties for the crimes of genocide, torture, apartheid and forced disappearances, there isn’t a treaty specific to crimes against humanity. That lack is now being remedied. The International Law Commission, a UN expert body, has submitted […]

July 16, 2024 15