Global rights crises deepen as world leaders shy away
11/1/2024: Global leaders have failed to take strong stands to protect human rights during 2023, a year of some of the worst crises and challenges in recent memory, according to the Human Rights Watch World Report 2024. Transactional diplomacy is undermining universal human rights principles.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Bangladesh: election with a foregone conclusion
12/1/2024: The general election held in Bangladesh on 7 January was preceded by a blatant campaign of intimidation by the ruling Awami League. The country’s civic space rating has been downgraded to "closed" by the CIVICUS Monitor, the collaborative research project that tracks the health of civic space in every country. This places Bangladesh among the world’s worst human rights offenders, including China, Iran and Russia.
Source: Inter Press Service
One-sided Bangladesh election raises fear of one-party rule
9/1/2024: Officials from several countries have expressed doubts over the credibility of the results of Bangladesh's January 7 election. 94% of the parliament seats will be filled by lawmakers who are members of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League. A crackdown on opposition activists saw tens of thousands jailed in the run up to the election.
Source: VOA
US formally removes Uganda from Agoa
2/1/2024: Uganda has lost the concession to export certain commodities to the US duty-free under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. This results from President Museveni's assent to an anti-gay law which introduces serious repercussions, including life imprisonment or death, for same-sex relations.
Source: The East African
Taliban’s return to international norms is non-negotiable
20/12/2023: The head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has briefed the UN Security Council that lack of progress in resolving human rights issues continues to prevent the country obtaining a seat at the United Nations. Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains one of the countries with the highest levels of humanitarian needs, with more than 29 million people requiring assistance.
Source: UN News
Is Bangladesh heading toward another ‘one-sided’ election?
12/12/2023: The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has said it will boycott the general election on January 7, citing the arrest of its entire leadership, along with thousands of activists, over the past five weeks. The past two elections were marred by allegations of massive vote rigging. A fourth successive term for the Awami League and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seems the likely outcome.
Source: DW
Challenges loom a week from DR Congo election
13/12/2023: Confidence in conduct of the elections in Democratic Republic of Congo is strained, as conflict rages in the east, logistical problems remain unresolved and fears over fraud linger. The sheer size of the DRC is a logistical nightmare. The European Union cancelled its election observation mission after it failed to receive permits to use satellite equipment.
Source: The East African
UN human rights declaration turns 75
10/12/2023: The UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has warned of the threat posed to the principles enshrined in that document. She opposed the position that "human rights were for fair-weather politics that are only important when there are no other problems."
Source: DW
Ugandan minister accuses West of pushing LGBTQ agenda
7/12/2023: Uganda has pushed back against criticism of its draconian anti-gay laws. US President Joe Biden as well as the European Union and UN chief Antonio Guterres have slammed the legislation, warning that foreign aid and investment for Uganda could be jeopardised unless the law is repealed.
Source: The East African
Aid rankings for sexual and reproductive health
1/12/2023: The US is the only country to allocate more than 10% of its aid budget towards sexual and reproductive health programmes. However, a new donor funding atlas takes into account the policies pursued by each donor nation, as well as the amount of finance.
Source: Devex