Human rights experts, feminist organisations, and development partners have issued a call for enhanced protection measures for women human rights defenders across West Africa. The call emerged from a gathering that included Hannah Forster, Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), and Senegalese human rights advocate Sadikh Niass. Women human rights defenders from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea also participated in the discussions. The participants emphasized the urgent need to safeguard these defenders in their work throughout the region, acknowledging the critical role they play in advancing human rights and democracy.
Continental Commitments and National Gaps
Civic space has faced increasing pressure in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, especially during political transitions in these nations. This shrinking space poses significant challenges for human rights work. At a continental level, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) adopted Resolution 522 concerning women’s digital rights. This resolution specifically addresses the unique vulnerabilities women human rights defenders face in online environments. The ACHPR also adopted Resolution 596 on women human rights defenders at the continental level, providing a full framework for their protection. Despite such advancements in regional policy, the implementation of continental commitments to protect human rights remains a significant challenge across West Africa. This gap often leaves women human rights defenders vulnerable, despite the existing frameworks designed to safeguard their activities and their rights, particularly in digital spaces. Observers highlight that while the policy landscape is evolving, translating these resolutions into tangible protections at the national level requires sustained effort and political will. The disparity between continental declarations and national realities continues to impact the operating environment for defenders, often exposing them to risks and reprisals.
Key Participants and Organizers
Professor Remy Ngoy Lumbu, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), met with representatives from Sweden, Germany, and regional civil society organisations during the discussions. Professor Mabassa Fall, a jurist and senior expert on the African human rights system, also attended the proceedings, contributing his extensive knowledge to the dialogue.
Representatives from several Senegalese civil society organisations participated, including LIBERA, ActionAid Senegal, the Senegalese Women Lawyers Association (AJS), JGEN Senegal, and FAADEV. These groups contributed to the dialogue on protecting women human rights defenders, bringing local perspectives and expertise to the forefront. The Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) was also a key participant, representing a broad network dedicated to women's leadership and human rights. RFLD brings together more than 670 member organisations across over 35 countries in Francophone, Anglophone, and Lusophone Africa, noting its extensive reach and influence in the region and its capacity to mobilize diverse voices.
International Support and Partnerships
Sweden's participation reflected its continued support for the protection of women human rights defenders, aligning with its feminist foreign policy and development cooperation programmes. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) implements Sweden's partnership with the Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD), providing key financial and technical assistance. Sida further supports RFLD as a consortium partner within NAFASI, a three-year initiative. This initiative is led by Zimbabwe’s Magamba Network and collaborates with DefendDefenders of Uganda and RFLD, demonstrating a multi-country approach to strengthening human rights advocacy. The involvement of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Sida showed the ongoing cooperation between RFLD and its European development partners, noting a shared commitment to empowering women human rights defenders.
The Operational Challenge
The Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) organised an institutional Afrofeminist convening at its Dakar office, where the call for enhanced protection was made. This convening served as a vital platform for discussion and strategy formulation among key stakeholders. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) adopted Resolution 596 on women human rights defenders at the continental level, a significant step towards formal recognition and protection. RFLD holds Observer Status No. 553 with the ACHPR, which allows it to actively participate in the commission's work and advocate for the rights of women defenders directly within the continental human rights system. This status shows RFLD's recognized expertise and influence in shaping regional human rights policies and practices.
