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”).

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…

More than a 16 days Dose: Rethinking models of addressing gender-based violence

Gift Gawanani MaulukaDec 6, 20248 min read
More than a 16 days Dose: Rethinking models of addressing gender-based violence

Introduction Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global epidemic that continues to devastate lives, particularly those of women and children. Despite numerous campaigns, policy frameworks, and…

Money wives: An overlooked crisis of child slavery

Janet GbamNov 29, 20247 min read
Money wives: An overlooked crisis of child slavery

Introduction ‘Stop! I am too young for this; I want to attend school and become a lawyer’. These were the heart-breaking words of Mabena, a…

Inclusive Futures and Democratic Empowerment: A Case Study of Karamat Muslim Girls College, India

Dr Temitope Omotola OdusanyaNov 22, 20247 min read
Inclusive Futures and Democratic Empowerment: A Case Study of Karamat Muslim Girls College, India

Introduction My recent visit to Karamat Muslim Girls College in Lucknow, India, provides a compelling case study in the intersection of education and gender equality.…

Why Teaching International Law Should Be an Antiracist Endeavour

Prof. Dr Thoko KaimeNov 15, 202413 min read
Why Teaching International Law Should Be an Antiracist Endeavour

The field of international law, developed in the shadow of colonialism and global power imbalances, has long been influenced by racial biases and hegemonic interests.…

Do Sanctions Work? Memories of a Rhodesian Childhood

Prof. Dr Fareda BandaNov 13, 202421 min read
Do Sanctions Work? Memories of a Rhodesian Childhood

Scene Setting I remember it clearly. Recently arrived in Oxford to start my postgraduate studies, I was visited in my room by one of my…