Bleak picture of human rights in Africa as some govts, armed groups escalate abuses — HRW
The latest World Report 2025 of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that governments across Africa continue to crack down and wrongly arrest political opponents, critics, activists and journalists.
The annual HRW’s World Report, released this week, reviewed human rights records of more than 100 countries, including 25 in Africa. The conflicts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo, junta-ruled Sahel countries, as well as, for example, the recent alleged abductions of anti-government protesters and activists in Kenya, feature prominently in the report. The US-based democracy and human rights advocacy group also draws attention to armed forces and armed groups in some African countries that have with impunity targeted civilians, killing them and driving them from their homes.
In Sudan, the rights group investigators found that the war between the armed forces and the rebel RSF in the north-east African nation has displaced millions and destroyed infrastructure and blocked humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, government forces in the Amhara region are reported to have committed widespread attacks against medical professionals, patients and health facilities. The HRW report also puts a spotlight on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where civilians are killed, women raped, and attacks on camps for the internally displaced push more people into neighboring countries.
HRW’s findings also highlight the growing trend of authoritarianism in Southern Africa, with governments employing heavy-handed tactics to suppress dissent and curb civic freedoms. The report specifically notes the ongoing crisis in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, and the political tensions in Angola where journalists and activists faced harassment, while laws that violated human rights were introduced. Despite these challenges, the rights group’s report highlighted some positive developments, including the African Union’s efforts on migration and the recent adoption of protocols to combat statelessness and protect the rights of older persons.
