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”).

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

Dr Mitterand M. OkorieNov 11, 20227 min read
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,…

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

Dr Cristiano d’OrsiNov 4, 202210 min read
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.…

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

Lisa StrubeOct 7, 20226 min read
“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…

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

TeamOct 4, 20221 min read
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…

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

Johannes FriederichSep 23, 202215 min read
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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…

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

SifaSep 16, 20226 min read
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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…