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”).

Energy Justice: Time for an Afrocentric Perspective

Jean-Aristid BanyurwaheAug 8, 20259 min read
Energy Justice: Time for an Afrocentric Perspective

Who makes major decisions about energy? And for whom is energy produced? Who makes major decisions about natural resources? And for whom are they extracted?…

Transitional justice impulses for institutional reinvention in light of massive and systematic human rights violations

Isabelle ZundelAug 1, 202510 min read
Transitional justice impulses for institutional reinvention in light of massive and systematic human rights violations

Introduction The institutions of the African human rights system (AHRS) are confronted with massive and systematic human rights violations all over the continent. These include,…

Vanishing Youth: The Surge of Gen Z Abductions in Kenya

Fakir Sayed Aziz UddinJul 25, 20258 min read
Vanishing Youth: The Surge of Gen Z Abductions in Kenya

Introduction In recent years, Kenya has witnessed a worrying rise in abduction cases, from kidnappings for ransom to enforced disappearances tied to counterterrorism. The alarming…

The Success Stories of ECOWAS Citizenship: A Lesson for SADC to Learn

Nicodemus Uswege MsikaJul 11, 20258 min read
The Success Stories of ECOWAS Citizenship: A Lesson for SADC to Learn

Introduction The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has greatly advanced the integration of the member states’ citizens compared to the Southern African Development…

What is Missing in the SADC Region with the Absence of the Human Rights Mandate in the SADC Tribunal?

Nicodemus Uswege MsikaJul 4, 20258 min read
What is Missing in the SADC Region with the Absence of the Human Rights Mandate in the SADC Tribunal?

Introduction The Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC) Tribunal is established under Article 9 of the Consolidated Text of the Treaty of the SADC (SADC Treaty).…

A Call for Constitutional Compliance: Children’s Voices Matter

Gift Gawanani MaulukaJun 27, 20258 min read
A Call for Constitutional Compliance: Children’s Voices Matter

“When our ideas seem to matter in the decision-making processes, we feel honoured and valued. It shows that the adults are listening and are willing…