Human rights defenders from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to address the erosion of civil liberties in the region. They warned that development and efforts to adapt to global change must not come at the expense of hard-won freedoms. The defenders observed that a shrinking civic space and restrictions on freedom of expression, persistent conflict, displacement, and the impact of emerging technologies are combining to push human rights to the periphery in eastern Africa.
Nozipho Ndebele, Associate Director at the Office of the Africa Managing Director, Open Society Foundations, noted that the pursuit of human rights in Africa is a complex and contested story. While the continent has made significant gains in reform, these gains are shallow and can be reversed. Ndebele warned that abuses have morphed to include subtle things like mounting debt and economic marginalization, and that rights are not only violated by soldiers and censors but also by fiscal policies, debt structures, trade rules, and land laws.
The Open Society Foundations convened the three-day discussion with support from the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and NANHRI, the grouping of African national human rights commissions. Speakers emphasized that the sphere of rights goes beyond cracking down on political dissent or detaining opposition leaders. They called on the region to 'reimagine' a future in which human rights will be central to development, technology, and overall human welfare.
Marcel Akpovo, Regional Director and Representative to the African Union at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Regional Hub for East and Southern Africa, noted that Africa has built a substantial human rights architecture, but these gains are under pressure. He pointed to conflict, displacement, restrictions on civic space, inequalities, and climate change as trends that signal disregard for existing legal protections for liberties.
In eastern Africa, technology has been both a blessing and a curse. Akpovo noted that while it has enabled people to access tools and information, it has also enabled states to monitor citizens, facilitated online trolling and disinformation, and allowed authorities to shut down the internet to control narratives. Large-scale infrastructure, extractive and energy investments, and drought and flooding have raised questions about land, labor, community rights, and access to remedy.
In Kenya, campaigners say there is a persistent trend of imposing development projects without giving local people a say, contributing to economic rights violations. Margaret Kemuma, a Programmes Lead for Migration, Justice, and Governance at Kituo Cha Sheria in Kenya, emphasized that rights watchers are now branded as opponents of development when they oppose a project due to a lack of consultation. Kemuma called for development projects to prioritize free, prior, and informed consent, and for adaptation finance to be increased and reach communities directly.
The situation is worse in some countries, such as South Sudan, where there is little room for campaigners to seek redress. Ezekiah Gibson, Deputy Director of South Sudan's Human Rights Commission, noted that the situation is not good, and with the elections coming up, the civic space is shrinking. However, participants generally agree that small wins, such as improved gender equality, must be protected to ensure there is no regression. They also emphasize the importance of bringing government services closer to the people to alleviate marginalization.
Key points
- Human rights defenders warn that development and global change must not come at the expense of hard-won freedoms in Africa.
- The erosion of civil liberties is a complex issue, with subtle abuses such as mounting debt and economic marginalization.
- Defenders call for a future where human rights are central to development, technology, and overall human welfare in Africa.
