Burkina Faso adopts harsh penalties for LGBTQ+ relationships
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 for LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Under this new legislation, individuals convicted of homosexuality face up to five years inContinue Reading
Niger: crackdown on judicial unions sparks rights concerns
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 World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)—has condemned the dissolution of five judicial unions in Niger by the Minister of Interior, PublicContinue Reading
Burkina Faso declares un official persona non grata over critical report
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 persona non grata. This unprecedented move follows the publication of a critical UN report documenting severe violations against children inContinue Reading
Burkina Faso releases journalists and activist forced into military service
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
Unveiling sickle cell disease in Niger: prevention, support, and hope
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
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
Two years of arbitrary detention for Niger’s former president
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
Mali: crimes against peul civilians by army and Wagner group
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: le combat de Dre Gloria Damoaliga Berges
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
Mali’s escalating crisis: women confront rising sexual violence in displacement camps
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
Sahel’s hidden crisis: jihadist surge and authoritarian rule
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 turmoil in the Sahel has only deepened. The region, once perceived as a manageable challenge, now stands as the globalContinue Reading
Niger faces twin threats of polio and covid-19 outbreaks
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 health challenges facing the West African nation. Niger reports new polio cases amid ongoing Covid-19 response Converging health crises inContinue Reading