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?
What should the new Norwegian Africa strategy contain and what role should the diaspora play?
Afrika Nå
1 hour 42 minutes 49 seconds
1 year ago
What should the new Norwegian Africa strategy contain and what role should the diaspora play?
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently in the process of developing a new Norwegian strategy for Africa. Africa, with its 55 states, is developing fast and the changing geopolitical situation in the world is also an important backdrop. Many countries in the world are now intensifying their diplomatic ties with African countries.
For the last decade the African continent has seen economic growth, population growth, demand for rare mineral resources and climate change. African countries are both experiencing great possibilities and challenges. What does this mean for Norway's partnership with African countries and what should we prioritize the coming years?
What are the most important goals a new Africa strategy should contain? How do Norway ensure that the strategy considers the different historic and political context of each country and promote African states' own agency and development on their terms? And what role could and should the African diaspora in Norway play in this process and in developing foreign and development policies in general?
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?
