Challenges of human rights in Africa

My Lords and Ladies, I have been assigned to facilitate a discussion on the state of human rights in Africa. A clinical, systematic and comprehensive dissection of the state of human rights in Africa is beyond the scope of this paper.

I only flag some of the ”tough” cases that frequent our courts that require us to re-visit the notion of rights afresh if we are to remain at the cutting edge of our calling and deliver the promise of our constitutions. I imagine that our conversation once it has started in earnest may get difficult, and controversial on occasions, yet we need to engage openly, frankly, robustly and with the requisite decorum. 

Perhaps by way of context and background, and in order to properly anchor the issues of moment, one may make the following preliminary observations: 

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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