- Details
Zororai Nkomo and Rutendo Mugabe
Introduction
The discovery of transition minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, across the African continent has been hailed as a gateway to economic transformation and a vital contribution to the global shift toward a just energy transition. These minerals are essential for powering renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and the broader decarbonisation agenda. Yet, this promise comes with a troubling cost: the exploitation of children.
- Details
Every year on June 18, the world comes together to observe the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, a solemn reminder that words can wound deeply and sometimes irreparably. Hate speech is not a new problem. Throughout history, language has been weaponised to demean, divide, and destroy, but today, in our interconnected digital age, the scale, speed, and sophistication of hate speech’s spread are unprecedented. This is especially true in Africa, a continent marked by extraordinary diversity in ethnicity, religion, culture, and language, where hate speech can quickly inflame tensions and threaten peace. The devastating consequences of hate speech in Africa are not merely theoretical. The 1994 Rwandan genocide stands as the darkest example, where incendiary radio broadcasts and printed propaganda dehumanised the Tutsi minority, turning words into deadly action. This tragedy also became a powerful lesson in the importance of vigilance, legal safeguards, and coordinated responses to hateful rhetoric.
- Details
As of August 2023, with a total of 220, the African continent is regarded as the region that has experienced the highest number of military coups, hereafter, referred to as coups.[1] In fact, The Economist speculates that the continent will continue to witness an increase in the number of coups.[2] Since 2020, two specific regions of Africa that are almost considered as the ‘epicentre’ of coups are the Sahel and West regions. Exacerbated by corruption, authoritarian rule, entrenched social injustices, and fragile economies, the situation in some states has compelled the military to overthrow presidents and seize power. This has been the case in Guinea, Mali and Gabon where presidents have clung to power for too long, stifling the progress of democratic governance. However, a troubling pattern emerged in the aftermath of coups, as military leaders are often reluctant to relinquish power and organise democratic elections that would allow citizens to choose their representatives.
- Details
By Belinda Matore, project officer in the Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Human Rights.
Advocacy has found a powerful ally in social media. Platforms like TikTok, X and Facebook have transformed local injustices into national conversations, often within hours. Yet as the line between activism and exploitation grows increasingly blurred, we must ask: at what cost does awareness come? The tragic case of Cwecwe, a seven-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted at Bergview College in the Eastern Cape, serves as a stark reminder of how digital activism can devolve into digital exploitation.
- Details
By: Belinda Matore
Historical Significance of 21 March
Every year on 21 March, South Africa commemorates Human Rights Day, a day that serves as both a tribute to the struggles of the past and a reminder of the ongoing quest for equality, justice, and dignity for all. This date is deeply rooted in the history of the Republic of South Africa, marking the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 which was a pivotal moment in South Africa’s fight against apartheid.
- Details
By Tendai Mbanje and Ludo Sekga
Botswana, often lauded for its stability and peace in the heart of Southern Africa, faces a troubling challenge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The nation's police service reported alarming statistics of 60 rape cases, 19 murders, and 13 defilements in the festive period between the 19th of December and the 2nd of January 2025. The rise of GBV and its patterns requires urgent attention and has prompted calls for action from numerous actors, particularly the government. With less than three months as the nation’s President, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko steps into a pivotal role at a critical time. With his glowing record of human rights protection and advocacy, many wonder if he will take decisive actions to address this deep-seated social epidemic in the country.
- Details
By Dr Lydia T. Chibwe and Dr Sindiso Nkomo of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria
In Africa, millions of girls struggle to access education, and one of the most overlooked barriers is period poverty. A lack of affordable menstrual products, limited sanitation facilities and pervasive cultural taboos around menstruation result in many girls missing school every month. This disrupts their academic progress, harms their self-esteem and diminishes their future opportunities. The situation is even worse for girls with disabilities.
- Details
By Tendai Mbanje
Introduction
Every year on 21 September, the United Nations (UN) invites the world to mark the International Day of Peace. This day was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly.[1] In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate this day as a day of non-violence and cease-fire.[2] This year’s focus is on “cultivating a culture of peace”.[3] According to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, ‘‘cultivating a culture of peace means replacing division, disempowerment, and despair with justice, equality, and hope for all’’.[4] This day takes us back to 1945 when the UN was formed with the primary objective of promoting international peace, cooperation, security, and developing friendly relations among nations.[5] The establishment of the UN has achieved significant success in various areas. However, the organisation's peace objectives continue to face numerous challenges.
Peace is under attack, and geopolitical tensions are on the rise, undermining the objectives of the UN
- Details
by Tendai Mbanje
On 15 September, every year, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and parliaments worldwide celebrate the International Day of Democracy, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. In its resolution A/RES/62/7 establishing the International Day of Democracy, the United Nations noted that ‘‘while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy’’ and that ‘‘democracy does not belong to any country or region’’. The International Day of Democracy is meant both to celebrate democracy and to serve as a reminder that the need to promote and protect democracy is as urgent now as ever. Interestingly, the choice of 15 September for the International Day of Democracy corresponds to the adoption in September 1997 by the IPU of a Universal Declaration on Democracy. This Declaration affirms the principles of democracy, the elements and exercise of democratic government, and the global scope of democracy.
- Details
By Lydia Chibwe and Bianca Knight
The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is annually celebrated on the 30th of August and acts as a reminder of the thousands of lives lost as a result of state-sponsored abductions. On this day, the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria reflects on a few events as they occurred in Zimbabwe, where political violence, persecution and unsolved disappearances have plagued the country for years.
