Positive step but unresolved cases remain The Burkina Faso government has taken a welcome step by releasing five journalists and a human rights activist who were unlawfully conscripted into the military after criticizing the military junta. While this release marks progress, it also highlights the plight of others still missing,Continue Reading
What if a simple blood test before marriage could fundamentally transform a life? This question underscores the critical mission to combat sickle cell disease in Niger. Dr. Mariam Boureima Djibo, Director of the National Reference Centre for Sickle Cell Disease (CNRD), recounts a deeply moving experience that shaped her resolve:Continue Reading
Human rights activists forcibly disappeared in Burkina Faso Urgent appeal — BFA 002 / 0525 / OBS 022 Enforced disappearance / Kidnapping Burkina Faso May 2, 2025 ©Balai citoyen Share URGENT APPEAL The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership between the International Federation for Human RightsContinue Reading
Human rights advocates are urging Niger’s military authorities to immediately release former President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held in arbitrary detention for two years following a coup that overthrew his elected government. The crisis began on July 26, 2023, when officers from the self-proclaimed National Council for the SafeguardContinue Reading
allegations of war crimes in Mali: army and Wagner group accused of targeting peul men The Malian Armed Forces, alongside the Russia-backed Wagner Group, have been implicated in a string of summary executions and forced disappearances of Fulani men across Mali since January 2025. These alleged atrocities, documented by humanContinue Reading
Drépanocytose au Burkina Faso: Dre Gloria Damoaliga Berges mène le combat With a prevalence rate of 4.63% in Burkina Faso—including nearly 2% of newborns affected by the severe SS form—sickle cell disease remains a critical public health challenge. This reality demands a robust, multi-sector response involving all segments of society.Continue Reading
As persistent insecurity and forced displacement continue to plague central and northern regions of Mali, women face increasingly severe risks of gender-based violence, a United Nations agency has warned. Presenting findings from a survey conducted last May, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN agency for sexual and reproductiveContinue Reading