Africa

In terms of laws for the protection of HRDs, the pioneer country in Africa has been the Democratic Republic of Congo, which started in 2007 to debate laws in provinces and at the national level. But it has been especially since 2015 that laws have been passed in several countries, mostly, but not exclusively, in West Africa. It is the region with the most national processes on laws, fifteen in total, but also with the most stalled or abandoned processes (seven of the fifteen).

In general, these national laws have been based on the UN Declaration on HRDs, as well as on the Model Law developed by the International Service for Human Rights.

Collectively, these laws succinctly outline a number of rights for human rights defenders, which overlap to a large extent with the rights that everyone has as a citizen of these countries. Some laws regulate their application, others do not. And several laws contain a series of “responsibilities” on the part of HRDs, as for example in the 2014 law of Côte d’Ivoire:

o Art. 10 : ” HRDs are obliged to exercise their rights and freedoms impartially and with respect for the rights of others, public safety and the general interest “.
o Art. 12: “… Human rights defenders must contribute to the preservation and strengthening of social and national solidarity…. “
These responsibilities assigned to HRDs could serve as a basis for delegitimising the action of HRDs.

As of mid-2021, the list of countries with protection policies in Africa is as follows:
•Law in force: Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali,
•Decree or sub-national regulation: Democratic Republic of Congo
•Discussions in force: Uganda, Madagascar, Niger, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Togo.
•Previous debates, not currently taken up: Cameroon, Guinea, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Sudan.

Nkafu Policy Institute
2023
This publication was published by the Nkafu Policy Institute in January 2023. It includes an analysis of legal protection measures...
Protection International
2023
On the 12th of December 2022, the Congolese National Assembly approved a draft national law on human rights defenders. This...
African Defenders
2023
On the 21st of February 2023 the 36th Ordinary session of the African Union took place in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. During...
République du Niger
2022
On the 15th of June 2022, a national law on human rights defenders (HRDs or defenders) in Niger was adopted. The...
Fortune TV Liberia
2022
In February 2022, human rights defenders came together to discuss the development of a draft law for the protection of...
International Service of Human Rights
2022
In the Central African Republic, a Draft Law is being discussed at the Ministry of Justice. See here for an...
Protection International
2022
A draft edict on the protection of human rights defenders and journalists has been proposed to the Provincial Assembly in...
International Service for Human Rights
2021
On the 26th of March 2021, a draft law on the protection of human rights defenders was finalised and submitted...
ISHR
2021
From 18th to 20th October 2021, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) hosted a regional consultation in Abidjan on...
ISHR
2021
Jointly with the national defenders’ coalitions in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and Niger, ISHR has published a...
Portail Officiel du gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire
2021
On 10 November 2021, the government of Ivory Coast adopted the inter-ministerial order N°972/MJDH/MEMD/MIS, creating the Committee for the Protection...
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
2021
The study on the potential of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to serve as protection mechanisms for human rights defenders...
Tanzanian Human Rights Defenders Coalition
2021
In 2021, the Tanzanian Human Rights Defenders Coalition published its latest evaluation of the situation of human rights defenders (HRDs...
International Service for Human Rights
2021
Translation by Protection International of the original article by ISHR. On 8 and 9 April 2021, Senegalese civil society met...
Ministère des Droits de l’Homme, de la Formation à la Citoyenneté, des Relations avec les Institutions de la République
2021
A meeting between the consultant and stakeholders on the draft law on the recognition and protection of human rights defenders...
International Service for Human Rights
2021
“ISHR and its partner Rencontre pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme (RPDH) are pleased that the Committee on...
Télévision Togolaise
2021
Togo is in the process of adopting the law on the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs). This law, enshrined...
First News Media
2021
Togo has for several years been taking steps towards better protecting human rights and guaranteeing “the physical and mental integrity,...
International Service for Human Rights
2021
The Human Rights Defenders Network of Sierra Leone and Amnesty International are campaigning for the adoption of a new law...
International Service for Human Rights
2021
Translation by Protection International of the original publication by ISHR. In Madagascar, the number of attacks on human rights defenders...