A study of female circumcision in Ethiopia in view of physical integrity: A human rights violation?

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as Female Circumcision (FC) is a traditionally deep-rooted practice in East Africa. However, most countries in the world and international organisations view it as…

Exhumed bodies of Ethiopian Migrants in Malawi underscore the rising dangers of cross-border trafficking in Southern Africa

Two mass graves were recently discovered in Malawi containing a total of 29 bodies believed to be Ethiopian migrants.[1] It’s a tragic discovery that underscores, once again, the perils of…

Climate change and human rights – The significant action of Gabon in protecting human rights in a changing climate

In Africa, the significances of climate change include, among other aspects, the transformation of weather patterns, biodiversity destruction and wider occurrence of more infectious diseases. All these events, in their…

“I am proud of my work, but I want to go back to school!” – Research on working children in Bukoba, Tanzania

“Every day I am working. In the morning I go to the bus station, I clean a bus, then I go to sell vegetables. I am proud of my work…

Debate series: “When the law is not enough: Tackling intractable problems of human rights – prospects for integrated approaches”

Dear Colleagues, The Chair of African Legal Studies at the University of Bayreuth in cooperation with Rhodes University would like to invite you to our debates series on intractable problems…

Germany’s obligation under international law to make reparation payments to the Ovaherero for genocide

It is almost unanimously agreed upon that between 1904 and 1908 the German Empire committed genocide after today’s understanding (in the following “genocide”)[1] against the ethnic groups of Ovaherero and…

“We exist!” – Fighting homophobia in Tunisia: changing the laws and changing mentalities

OPINION Sifa 16 September 2022 Beginning of Queer visibility In 2011, the Tunisian people overthrew the regime of the despotic ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his familial clan…

The relationship between the African Union and the International Criminal Court – Is the ICC targeting Africa?

When the International Criminal Court (ICC) was founded in 2002, most states considered it to be a breakthrough for the international fight against crimes of war, genocides, and crimes against…

Electioneering Period and the LGBTQI+ Vote in Kenya

Kenya’s general election is slowly gearing up, with the elections slated for 9th August 2022. Any electioneering period in the country has always been marred with cases of violence, and…

Nothing new under the sun: LGBTQI+ rights as human rights

OPINION Rosa Ojwang 29 July 2022 I advocate for LGBTQI+ rights because I am a black, African woman, who has benefitted from the historical social justice movements, particularly, the Civil…