Socio-economic rights contribute to economic and social transformation by correcting unreasonable state policy, and combating social exclusion. At its best, economic and social rights activism challenges power, mobilises poor communities and delivers significant concrete benefits to the poorest of
In Africa and other regions in the global South, religion and human rights support similar values. For years, religion has helped disenfranchised groups the way human rights activists now hope to do. Some religious values pose challenges, but there is substantial room for collaboration. A contribu
In the constantly shrinking space for civil society around the world, Ethiopia faces some enormous challenges in generating local support. Largely due to the country’s new CSO Proclamation, which severely restricts foreign funding of rights groups, human rights work in the country has nearly shut
It’s time to move past overly simplistic arguments surrounding Catholics and condoms, and make an effort to understand the real and very complex contributions of faith-based health providers across Africa. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate, Religion and Human Rights. Français, العربية
The high-minded words of East African activists are often lost on their intended beneficiaries, many of whom are members of the rural poor. A contribution from Mali to the openGlobalRights debate, “Human Rights: Mass or Elite Movement?” and to the openGlobalRights debate on Emerging Powers and Hum
Kenyan officials under International Criminal Court indictment seek caps for foreign funding to local NGOs, raising the spectre of a “Beijing Consesus” for African civil society. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate on Funding for Human Rights.
Designing and planning solutions to human rights problems from thousands of miles away often produces unsustainable results. The time has come for Southern human rights actors to find funding within their own societies. A contribution from Nigeria to the openGlobalRights debate on funding for huma
International aid is not ethically wrong, and local rights groups will use it for years to come. We must also mobilize domestic funds, however, by gaining a better understanding of our own policy, philanthropic, and economic environments. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate on Funding fo
The world is responding, albeit slowly, to the human rights crisis in the Central African Republic, showing that – despite all the disputes over Libya and Syria – the ideas underpinning the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine are taking root. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate, R2P
In October Kenya introduced legislation capping foreign funding to NGOs and requiring that money be channeled through a government body. Though narrowly defeated, the law looked to be a death-knell for a vibrant civil society sector. But Kenya – and the region – is not out of the woods yet. A cont
The problem of ‘top-down’ human rights work is particularly pronounced among the marginalized women and girls who experience the harshest abuses. These individuals are fully capable of becoming rights bearers, but need more information about international and national law. From the openGlobalRight
The US cares chiefly about stability in the DRC, rather than promoting Rwandan or Ugandan national interests. Musavuli’s analysis of America’s failure to apply the principles of R2P to the DRC does not take this into account, and understates recent US policy changes. A contribution to the openGlob
