Human Rights

This is an interdisciplinary platform for exciting insights, opinions, reviews, and critical analyses of human rights issues in Africa. A cross-section of contributors shares and cover human rights issues related to policy, advocacy, practice, and awareness. The insights shared unveil a wide spectrum where human rights principles and theories interface with lived realities of people and communities in Africa.

Besides the blog contributions, the africanlegalstudies.blog and the Chair of African Legal Studies at the University of Bayreuth are constantly developing new initiatives to exchange and engage with scholars and practitioners. These include research projects such as “Intractable Human Rights Issues” or debate series (e.g. “Everyone’s human rights”).

Talking to Justice Prof. Dennis Dominic Adjei: Insights into his Work as Judge of the African Court of Human and People’s Rights

Merlin MitschkerMar 21, 20259 min read
Talking to Justice Prof. Dennis Dominic Adjei: Insights into his Work as Judge of the African Court of Human and People’s Rights

Introduction On June 10, 2024, the Chair of African Legal Studies (ALS) at the University of Bayreuth had the unique opportunity to host two distinguished…

Talking to Dr. Robert Eno: Exciting insights into his work as Registrar at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Merlin MitschkerMar 14, 202511 min read
Talking to Dr. Robert Eno: Exciting insights into his work as Registrar at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Introduction On June 10, 2024, the Chair of African Legal Studies (ALS) at the University of Bayreuth had the unique opportunity to host two distinguished…

A Caution Against Emerging Digital-Industrial Complex in Africa

Nelson OtienoFeb 28, 20255 min read
A Caution Against Emerging Digital-Industrial Complex in Africa

In his farewell Presidential Address in 1961, outgoing US President Dwight Eisenhower then warned about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. He acknowledged the necessity…

Gender Equality and Climate Justice – A Critical Examination of Legislative and Institutional Reforms in the Global South

Carolin HauensteinFeb 14, 202510 min read
Gender Equality and Climate Justice – A Critical Examination of Legislative and Institutional Reforms in the Global South

Introduction Climate Change is the defining crisis of our time, threatening people’s lives by rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions. Its impacts primarily affect…

Off the record, on point: The art of informal data collection

Gift Gawanani MaulukaJan 24, 20257 min read
Off the record, on point: The art of informal data collection

Introduction A colleague has just defended her work at the University of Bayreuth. In her work, she used several research methods. However, what captured my…

Retracing Collectivity – and attempting to look beyond the horizon of European jurisprudence

Josephine AstfalkDec 13, 20247 min read
Retracing Collectivity – and attempting to look beyond the horizon of European jurisprudence

Recently, I have commenced my research on climate change litigation in the area of European human rights. One of the first relevant topics of my…