Covering Africa's political, economic and cultural landscape with depth, balance and editorial independence.
New law criminalizes consensual same-sex relations in Burkina Faso On September 1st, Burkina Faso’s transitional legislative assembly passed a controversial bill that criminalizes consensual same-sex relationships, marking a significant setback …
Burkina Faso adopts harsh penalties for LGBTQ+ relationships Read More
Niger’s judicial unions dissolved amid crackdown on dissent The Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur·es des droits humains—a joint initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the …
Niger: crackdown on judicial unions sparks rights concerns Read More
Burkina Faso’s military junta takes strong stance against UN criticism The military government of Burkina Faso has recently declared Carol Flore-Smereczniak, the United Nations resident coordinator in the country, as …
Burkina Faso declares un official persona non grata over critical report Read More
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 …
Burkina Faso releases journalists and activist forced into military service Read More
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, …
Unveiling sickle cell disease in Niger: prevention, support, and hope Read More
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 …
Human rights activists forcibly disappeared in Burkina Faso Read More
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 …
Two years of arbitrary detention for Niger’s former president Read More
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 …
Mali: crimes against peul civilians by army and Wagner group Read More
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 …
Drépanocytose au Burkina Faso: le combat de Dre Gloria Damoaliga Berges Read More
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 …
Mali’s escalating crisis: women confront rising sexual violence in displacement camps Read More
The Sahel has slipped from global headlines, yet its crises rage on unabated. While international attention shifted to conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and the Congo, the decade-long security and political …
Sahel’s hidden crisis: jihadist surge and authoritarian rule Read More
Niger faces twin threats of polio and Covid-19 outbreaks As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to strain healthcare systems, Niger is grappling with a resurgence of polio, highlighting the dual public …
Niger faces twin threats of polio and covid-19 outbreaks Read More