By Sikula Oniala  There were scenes of jubilation and euphoria when South Sudan gained independence 13 years ago today. But hope and optimism quickly vanished as conflict, corruption and human rights violations have become entrenched in the world’s newest country.  In a pattern that has become...

By David Ngira Somalia’s healthcare sector is ailing. This is despite the country receiving USD 4.5 Billion debt relief from IMF and the World Bank  last year which moved the country’s debt to GDP ratio from 64% to 6%. The relief followed protracted negotiations under the Highly indebted Poor...

As I stood in front of the Military Court on 16 December 2022, I felt a mixture of bravery and fear. I felt brave, because I had made a formal request to the Military to attend this court session, and fearful, as I didn’t receive approval but decided to show up anyway and request it […]

Where were you in May last year when the Anti-Homosexuality act was passed? I was at an orthopedics appointment in Massachusetts USA, watching everything on my phone. I wished I was home with my people and yet I knew I needed to take care of my health if I was to continue this fight. I […]

From Mali to Guinea to Senegal, demonstrations are all too often brutally, and even lethally, put down. And yet Amnesty International emphasizes that violence by the forces of law and order is not an illustration of a state’s power but rather its weakness.

What was the most striking event in your region this year and why? There has been an incredible backlash against gender justice throughout the Americas, including in the United States. One of the most obvious examples of this backlash is the attack on abortion rights across the region. How did you...

“Trans people in Peru face obstacles and challenges constantly, in all areas of life. After the decree that states our identity is a mental health issue, things have become even more difficult. When the decree came out, the whole of Peru was in shock, so we said: ‘We have to do something’. We...

By Christian Rumu Twenty-four years ago, from 5 – 10 June 2000, brutal fighting between Rwandan and Ugandan forces ravaged the city of Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). For six agonizing days, Kisangani became a battleground of two foreign armies, racing to control the natural...

Although Eritrea has a self-proclaimed policy of self-reliance the country remains heavily in debt. According to the World Bank, Eritrea’s debt to GDP in 2023 was estimated at 219% although the figure has since marginally dropped to 211% in 2024. This is significantly above Africa’s average of...

“It was hard growing up in the Philippines, especially when I was trying to figure out my life and my identity. When I was younger, we didn’t have the resources that other people have now, especially as a transperson. I wanted to start hormones, but I had no idea how to access them. I thought...

The country’s only oil terminal, managed by Total-Energy Congo (a subsidiary of the French oil company Total-Energy) is located in the small fishing village of Djeno. An oil terminal is used to receive, process and store crude oil from many different sites before it is sent to refineries by tanker...