Africa's human rights violation hotspots

topic:	Human Rights
located:	Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea
editor:	Bob Koigi

That conflicts and despots remain the greatest threat to human rights the world over is no news. Yet despite sustained sanctions and an international apex court that is supposed to hold those who violate these rights to account, this unholy alliance has perpetuated terror among the citizenry with millions living in fear and in hiding for demanding truth, justice and respect for the law.

The global human rights space has thinned with those who were previously custodians of the rule of law turning villains, especially once in power.

Nothing captures the harrowing state of human rights violations more than the recently released Human Rights Watch 2020 report that details the violations that took place in 2019. The violations have grown in numbers, become more daring and the martyrs of human rights reached unprecedented figures.

In Africa, endemic conflicts, fragile peace agreements and dictatorial regimes have turned numerous nations into failed states. While traditional culprits feature predominantly in the report, it is worrying that countries that were previously bastions of peace are fast sliding into anarchy. From tyrants in Sudan and Guinea who nearly crippled the very soul of their nations, prolonged conflicts in Northern Nigeria and DR Congo and ethnically instigated violence in Ethiopia, peace and respect for the rule of law have been sacrificed at the altar of greed and misrule.

While there has been action taken by the international community and bodies like the United Nations and the African Union in trying to arrest these situations, the commitments have not been commensurated with the deafening violations and violence that now threatens the very values that make nations function. We are in a situation that calls for bold and daring interventions if the community of nations cares about global peace, stability and order.

Image: Ama Lorenz

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