The African continent, stretching from Cape to Cairo and from Banjul to Mogadishu, is marked by immense cultural, political, and socio-economic diversity. While there has been notable growth and development across many sectors in recent years, human rights issues remain a persistent challenge.
These challenges vary across countries and regions, encompassing civil and political rights violations as well as economic, social, and cultural rights concerns. Today, we face critical human rights issues that affect Africa, including those related to governance, conflict, freedom of expression, gender inequality, and socio-economic rights.
The theme of this conference, which is premised on education, is both timely and essential, especially as we witness violations disproportionately affecting the youth, children, women, and the elderly. Armed conflict, insecurity, terrorism, and the rise of fundamentalism continue to pose severe threats to our collective security and socio-economic development.
Despite some progress towards democracy, many African nations remain under authoritarian rule or quasi-democratic systems, leading to the repression of opposition parties and civil society. Arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, and political assassinations are not uncommon. Persecution on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, social group membership, or political opinion, along with civil wars, unconstitutional changes in government, external aggression, and natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and famines, contribute to widespread instability across the continent.
Africa remains home to millions of refugees, as unresolved conflicts in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Central African Republic, Burundi, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Chad continue to create humanitarian crises.
Climate change is another significant challenge with severe consequences for fundamental rights, including the right to life and shelter. Its impact is evident in the increasing frequency of droughts, floods, and other ecological disasters that exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
Armed conflicts and violence remain major drivers of human rights violations. Long-standing conflicts have led to massive human suffering, with innocent civilians bearing the brunt—facing displacement, sexual violence, abductions, and killings. The rise of extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, and affiliates of the Islamic State (ISIS) has further destabilized local communities, severely impacting education across the continent. These groups continue to commit atrocities, including targeted attacks on schools, markets, and places of worship. Women and children are particularly vulnerable, often subjected to forced marriages, sexual slavery, and recruitment as child soldiers.
While peacekeeping missions and interventions have sometimes been helpful, they have not always addressed the root causes of conflict. International and regional organizations, including the African Union, continue to face significant challenges in mediating and restoring peace. In many cases, peace agreements remain fragile, and the absence of effective transitional justice mechanisms means that impunity persists, with perpetrators of war crimes and human rights abuses rarely held accountable.
Gender-based violence (GBV) and gender inequality continue to be pervasive in many African societies. Women and girls face discrimination in education, healthcare, employment, and political participation. Harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and early, forced marriages persist despite efforts to eradicate them.
Sexual violence, particularly in conflict zones, is another critical issue. Women and girls are often targeted as part of broader strategies of war, and perpetrators frequently evade justice. In countries like the DRC, rape has been used as a weapon of war, leaving survivors without adequate medical care or legal recourse.
However, there have been positive strides toward gender equality in some African countries. Rwanda, for example, boasts one of the highest rates of female representation in parliament globally, and South Africa has enacted progressive legislation to protect women’s rights. Nevertheless, much work remains to achieve true gender equality across the continent.
Education is another area where human rights are under threat. In regions affected by conflict or poverty, millions of children, especially girls, are out of school. The lack of access to quality education perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality, leaving young people without the skills they need to build better futures.
Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
As a country that endured two decades of authoritarian rule marked by widespread human rights violations and abuses, The Gambia has embarked on a transformative journey to rebuild and strengthen its human rights framework. Central to this effort was the establishment of an independent National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of all individuals. Today, our NHRC stands alongside 44 other national human rights institutions across the African continent and has achieved A-status accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), affirming its compliance with international standards.
