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UK’s failed asylum deportation plan puts Rwanda’s human rights and refugee struggles in the spotlight

UK’s failed asylum deportation plan puts Rwanda’s human rights and refugee struggles in the spotlight

THE UK Supreme Court ruled on 15 November 2023 that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful. The plan would have seen tens of thousands of asylum seekers sent from the UK to Rwanda, which would then process and host such refugees indefinitely. EVAN EASTON-CALABRIA, Senior Researcher at the Feinstein International Center, Tufts University, and Research Associate at the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford Along with countless refugee and human rights groups – including the United Nations – I raised red flags about the plan and welcomed the decision to halt it. My research and work over more than…
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Mauritius is the latest nation to decriminalise same-sex relations in a divided continent

Mauritius is the latest nation to decriminalise same-sex relations in a divided continent

THE Mauritius Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a law that criminalises consensual same-sex acts between adult men. The decision boosts the trend in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region towards decriminalisation. Now, a slight majority – nine out of 16 member states – do not prohibit gay and lesbian sexual relations. I have researched and taught human rights law in Africa, including the rights of sexual minorities, for over three decades, and closely follow the work of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. FRANS VILJOEN, Director and Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights,…
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Disabled Nigerians battle when using – they share their experiences

Disabled Nigerians battle when using – they share their experiences

PEOPLE with disabilities often face difficulties when accessing transport services. Inadequate and unsuitable options restrict their mobility, independence and ability to navigate their communities. This limits their opportunities for employment, education, healthcare and social engagement. These individuals can also be very vocal about their experiences – sharing comments online that can shape the branding and marketing of a city. EMMANUEL MOGAJI, Associate Professor in Marketing, Keele University As an academic researcher with a focus on transport, education and financial services, I teach the marketing and advertising of these services. To do so, one must first understand the state of a…
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‘Alarming’ rise in rape and abduction from Sudan war, aid agencies say

‘Alarming’ rise in rape and abduction from Sudan war, aid agencies say

THE conflict between military factions in Sudan has caused a surge in cases of rape and the abduction of women and girls, some as young as 12, aid agencies and officials said. Teenage girls are being sexually assaulted and raped by armed combatants in "alarming numbers", Save the Children said in a statement on Friday, while the United Nations reported a "marked increase" in gender-based violence. The war that erupted on April 15 pits Sudan's army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who fell out over plans for a political transition towards civilian rule. Fighting has been concentrated in…
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Modern slavery: how a drama project in Ghana educates communities through the stories of survivors

Modern slavery: how a drama project in Ghana educates communities through the stories of survivors

AN estimated 40.3 million people around the world are trapped in slavery. One in four victims are children, with women and girls affected most. Modern slavery occurs when people are forced to work through violence and intimidation. According to the most recent figures from the Global Slavery Index, there are 133,000 people living in slavery in Ghana. Our ongoing research seeks to tackle the issue by using performance to bridge the gap between survivors and people at risk of becoming victims by developing a conversation about 21st-century slavery. How the Ghanaian government responds to this issue affects the amount of…
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Tigray war ignored because of racism: WHO boss

Tigray war ignored because of racism: WHO boss

THE World Health Organization's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has suggested that racism is behind a lack of international attention being paid to the plight of civilians in Ethiopia's war-shattered Tigray region. Calling it the "worst humanitarian crisis in the world", with 6 million people unable to access basic services, Tedros questioned in an emotional appeal why the situation is not getting the same attention as the Ukraine conflict. "Maybe the reason is the colour of the skin of the people," Tedros, who is from Tigray, told a virtual media briefing on Wednesday. In April this year at a briefing, he…
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U.N. adds Ukraine, Ethiopia, Mozambique to children killing inquiry

U.N. adds Ukraine, Ethiopia, Mozambique to children killing inquiry

U.N. officials will investigate the killing and wounding of children in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Mozambique, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said in a report that found 2,515 children were killed and 5,555 maimed in global conflicts in 2021. The annual "Children and Armed Conflict" report also verified the recruitment and use of 6,310 children in conflicts globally in 2021. Other violations it covers are abduction, sexual violence, school and hospital attacks and denial of aid. It found the highest number of verified violations against children in 2021 were in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Israel and…
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‘World Falling Part”: Record number of people displaced in own countries

‘World Falling Part”: Record number of people displaced in own countries

EMMA FARGE IN a world beset by conflicts and natural disasters, the number of people who fled their homes and sought shelter within their own countries hit a record high of close to 60 million by the end of last year, according to new data. Disasters, including weather events such as cyclones and floods in Asia as well as protracted conflicts in places like Syria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia were factors behind high levels of new displacements last year, according to the report compiled by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). "The world is falling apart, too many countries are…
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Ghana’s human trafficking scourge

Ghana’s human trafficking scourge

JAMILA AKWELEY OKERTCHIRI “It feels like yesterday when I was deceived by one man who claimed to be a travelling agent. He promised me a work opportunity and a good salary,” says 25-year-old Cissy, as she prefers to be called. “As a young lady coming from an average family who really needed help, I fell for his lies.” Cissy says although she was a bit sceptical about the offer and afraid of her destination country, the so-called travel agent convinced her that she had nothing to worry about. “He said I had a host mom who would receive me at…
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Xenophobia is on the rise in South Africa: scholars weigh in on the migrant question

Xenophobia is on the rise in South Africa: scholars weigh in on the migrant question

INTERNATIONAL migration in South Africa, particularly as it relates to the labour market, is a highly contentious topic. We, the undersigned migration scholars, want to share relevant information about this important topic. Our work shows that international migrants make up only a small percentage of the South African population, and that the overall effect of international immigration on the labour market is not detrimental. Preliminary data analysis from the 2021 round of the South African Social Attitudes Survey by the Human Sciences Research Council finds that most South Africans see foreign nationals as a threat. Many believe they are a…
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