UN experts urge The Gambia to address past rights violations to avoid recurrence

BANJUL / GENEVA (19 June 2017) – The Gambia is witnessing encouraging signs in moves to shed light on past human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, but must involve families fully in the process, a delegation of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said today.

“We welcome the commitments made by the Government of The Gambia to embark on comprehensive reforms, including measures to ensure truth, justice and reparation for victims, as well as prevent any recurrence of disappearances in the future,” said the Group’s Chair Houria Es-Slami and fellow delegation member Henrikas Mickevicius at the end of an official visit* to the country.

Civil society calls on Uganda to respect citizens’ rights and media freedom ahead of elections

MEDIA STATEMENT:  Civil society groups are urging Ugandan authorities to respect citizen and media freedoms ahead of the 18 February parliamentary and presidential elections.

In the months leading up to election day, Ugandan authorities have restricted the ability of ordinary citizens, civil society activists and journalists to engage in open debates on sensitive issues such as official corruption, high rates of unemployment, rising costs of living, human rights violations and succession in the presidency, say CIVICUS and the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI).

“It appears that attacks on the media and journalists aim to restrict coverage of events and discussions that appear to challenge the actions and performance of the current government that has been in power for 30 years,” said David Kode, Policy and Research Officer at CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations. “Worryingly, freedom of assembly of members of the political opposition has also been restricted, while civil society organisations have been intimidated.”

FEMNET In Solidarity with Victims of Garissa Attack, Kenya

African Women's Development and Communication Network, FEMNET would like to express solidarity with the people of Kenya in the wake of the terror attack at Garissa University College. Like the rest of the world, we are horrified by the events that took place in Garissa and recognize its impact not only on Kenya but also on the global community.

As a pan African women's rights organization with over 400 members across Africa and the Diaspora, we join regional and global voices in condemning this heinous act of terrorism that has left 148 innocent civilians, promising young leaders dead. This act of violence has no justification and like all other forms of violence must be condemned. Even sadder is that this attack comes just days before the world commemorates the one year anniversary of the abduction of hundreds of girls in Chibok, Nigeria, whom we have not forgotten and continue to call for their immediate release and rescue. Both events took place at institutions of learning and were a result of fundamentalisms and extremisms that have no place in our world.