A wave of youth and student-led protests have swept across the African continent the last year; from Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique to Senegal, Togo and Comoros. At the same time, the state of civic space is deteriorating globally and the same is true for many African countries. Student activists and other human rights defenders who try to hold their governments accountable and demand that human rights are respected, face huge risks. In many African countries we are also seeing a proliferation of restrictive legislation used to stifle fundamental freedoms.
This trend is not something new. Students have always been one of the first to take to the streets when justice, equality and human rights are on the line. In response, students and academia are common targets for authoritarian leaders. According to SAIHs Activism under Attack 2024, student activists across the globe see delegitimization, social pressure and university lawfare as the biggest barriers to doing activism, in addition to more brutal forms of repression.
So what does student activism on the African continent look like? What types of repression are young human rights defenders facing? Why are we seeing so many protests in African countries now? Some are predicting an "African spring" with protests spilling over to neighboring countries. Is this likely? What are African activists risking while trying to better the situation in their countries? How is civil society pushing back against autocratic regimes and can activists in different countries learn from each other? Which role can Norwegian civil society and the government play? And what is the way forward?
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A wave of youth and student-led protests have swept across the African continent the last year; from Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique to Senegal, Togo and Comoros. At the same time, the state of civic space is deteriorating globally and the same is true for many African countries. Student activists and other human rights defenders who try to hold their governments accountable and demand that human rights are respected, face huge risks. In many African countries we are also seeing a proliferation of restrictive legislation used to stifle fundamental freedoms.
This trend is not something new. Students have always been one of the first to take to the streets when justice, equality and human rights are on the line. In response, students and academia are common targets for authoritarian leaders. According to SAIHs Activism under Attack 2024, student activists across the globe see delegitimization, social pressure and university lawfare as the biggest barriers to doing activism, in addition to more brutal forms of repression.
So what does student activism on the African continent look like? What types of repression are young human rights defenders facing? Why are we seeing so many protests in African countries now? Some are predicting an "African spring" with protests spilling over to neighboring countries. Is this likely? What are African activists risking while trying to better the situation in their countries? How is civil society pushing back against autocratic regimes and can activists in different countries learn from each other? Which role can Norwegian civil society and the government play? And what is the way forward?
Afrika Nå: 30 years since Apartheid - did the rainbow nation deliver on its promises?
Afrika Nå
1 hour 25 minutes 21 seconds
11 months ago
Afrika Nå: 30 years since Apartheid - did the rainbow nation deliver on its promises?
30 years ago - in 1994, the first mixed-race election in South Africa's history was held. The African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson Mandela, won in a landslide. Since then, the ANC has continued to win the elections, and has remained the ruling party in South Africa. In May this year, the dissatisfaction over lack of progress led to the ANC for the first time ever receiving less than 50% of the votes.
Did ANC keep their promises, and has South Africa become the inclusive and rainbow coloured society people were sold in 1994?
Afrika Nå
A wave of youth and student-led protests have swept across the African continent the last year; from Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique to Senegal, Togo and Comoros. At the same time, the state of civic space is deteriorating globally and the same is true for many African countries. Student activists and other human rights defenders who try to hold their governments accountable and demand that human rights are respected, face huge risks. In many African countries we are also seeing a proliferation of restrictive legislation used to stifle fundamental freedoms.
This trend is not something new. Students have always been one of the first to take to the streets when justice, equality and human rights are on the line. In response, students and academia are common targets for authoritarian leaders. According to SAIHs Activism under Attack 2024, student activists across the globe see delegitimization, social pressure and university lawfare as the biggest barriers to doing activism, in addition to more brutal forms of repression.
So what does student activism on the African continent look like? What types of repression are young human rights defenders facing? Why are we seeing so many protests in African countries now? Some are predicting an "African spring" with protests spilling over to neighboring countries. Is this likely? What are African activists risking while trying to better the situation in their countries? How is civil society pushing back against autocratic regimes and can activists in different countries learn from each other? Which role can Norwegian civil society and the government play? And what is the way forward?
