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Rebecca Ann Oommen
17 March 2026 |
The Human Rights Watch report 2026 highlights the violence, impunity, lack of accountability, and the overall violation of human rights in Africa. Following are the five major takeaways.
1. Armed conflicts as the primary drivers of human rights violations
One of the primary takeaways from the HRW 2026 report is that armed conflict has served as the leading cause of humanitarian crises in Africa. This is evident by examining the ongoing wars in the region, which include conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, attacks on civilians by the ISIS-linked Alliance of Democratic Forces armed group, and conflict between the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group and the Congolese armed forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Ethiopia, the Sahel and central African region.
These conflicts have led to the mass murder of civilians, intense sexual violence, especially against women and children, displacements of millions of people, heightened food insecurity, and the loss of livelihood and infrastructure.
2. Shrinking democracy beyond the active conflict zones
Another major takeaway is the erosion of democracy in the region, which also includes regions that are not formally at war. The government has actively cracked down on protestors, jailed journalists, and, in some regions like Uganda, has systematically oppressed the opposition parties. Regions like DRC and Sudan have also experienced internet shutdowns that isolate them from the world, which directly infringes on their freedom of expression and lets these atrocities continue. Thus, many of these countries have remained a democracy only in theory and not in practice.
3. Regional and international organisations have failed in meaningful dialogue
The African Union, a regional organization consisting of the African nations, has pledged to protect human rights and uphold democratic governance across the continent. However, as seen in the HRW report, they have miserably failed in doing so. The AU has on numerous occasions put out statements condemning the actions of its member nations, yet has failed to take any accountability, even after the tragic deaths and displacements of millions. Similarly, the global response to Sudan, DRC, Ethiopia, and other African regions has been grossly inadequate, emboldening them to commit even greater abuses. While the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sought to amplify the urgency to act and bring abusers to justice, the United Nations Security Council has yet to establish a badly needed civilian protection presence in the country.
4. Humanitarian suffering manipulated as weapons to control
A crucial point of concern is the weaponization of humanitarian suffering by military coups, majority groups, and governments to maintain control in the respective countries. As of April 2025, approximately 300 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance, with Africa accounting for nearly 45 per cent of this global caseload, which accounts for around 134 million people. Despite this, aid is being delayed or blocked in conflict-ridden zones. The millions of people who have been dislocated face grave economic and food insecurity, along with the lack of health care amid droughts and disease outbreaks. It is also increasingly difficult to deploy human aid to these regions as the safety and security of aid workers is an increasing concern. In the first five months of 2025, 128 aid workers were killed across 17 countries, with South Sudan and Sudan being among the most dangerous places for aid workers, and between 2000 and 2024, about 4,130 aid workers were harmed, that is, either killed, injured, or kidnapped.
Therefore, atrocities such as deliberate starvation, economic and social insecurity persist as humanitarian aid and basic facilities are controlled and exploited.
5. Militarization of governance
Another growing trend in the region has been the militarization of governance, especially in East Africa and parts of West Africa. Countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have given way to military juntas, which have led to excessive control, military trials of citizens, crackdowns on journalists, and the heavy restrictions and arrests of journalists. This has led to the erosion of law, the independence of the judiciary, and stable democracy in the region.
Rebecca Ann Oommen is an undergraduate student at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai.
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