Stories about Human Rights from April, 2020
Sierra Leone lifts 10-year ban on pregnant girls attending school
Sierra Leone finally lifts a discriminatory policy that barred pregnant girls from attending school in a new bid to form a more inclusive nation and address injustices against young women.
A new cross-regional anti-disinformation initiative launches in the Balkans
The network includes members from North Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania, and will work in cooperation with similar groups from other neighboring countries.
Fighting COVID-19 goes hand-in-hand with shuttering newspapers across the Middle East
As part of their measures to counter COVID-19, Jordan, Oman, Morocco, the UAE and Yemen, have all banned print newspapers until further notice.
COVID-19 revives grim history of medical experimentation in Africa
Africa 'is not a testing lab' for a COVID-19 vaccine. The debate over human testing in clinical trials speaks to a grim history of medical experimentation and exploitation in Africa.
Ahead of contentious elections, Burundi faces its first COVID-19 cases
The upcoming election in Burundi has been surrounded by concerns over security and transparency. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic poses another public safety concern.
Philippine police dismantle anti-mining barricade amid COVID-19 lockdown
"My heart bleeds for our brave men and women of Didipio who had to suffer and be arrested for expressing their resistance against mining, a great menace to Mother Earth."
Police violently break up protest by healthcare workers in Balochistan, Pakistan
Medical professionals staged a protest in Baluchistan Province in Pakistan to demand Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to remain safe from coronacirus transmission from patients and they were arrested.
Stay-at-home orders accompanied by rise in domestic violence in Trinidad & Tobago
Once the government announced stay-at-home measures for everyone but members of “essential services”, the police service prepared itself for a rise in reports of domestic abuse.
Online journalist detained for quoting Cambodian prime minister’s advice on COVID-19
"The Covid-19 crisis must not be used as pretext for getting rid of journalists who do not blindly toe the government line."
Quarantined Argentine women protest spike in femicides from their windows
Helpline calls have increased by 60 percent since mandatory quarantine began on March 20.
Tunisia has a disinformation problem, but (further) criminalizing speech won't solve it
Following outcry from human rights groups and citizens, a controversial bill that sought to criminalize the spread of ‘’fake news’’ online was quickly withdrawn.
India's COVID-19 lockdown leaves vulnerable populations to fend for themselves
While the government has guaranteed essential services to be exempt from the lockdown, poorer sections of the population have been left in the lurch even in the capital.
Impact of COVID-19 containment measures on human rights and civil liberties in the Middle East
COVID-19 measures in the MENA region have especially targeted some of the most vulnerable groups such as detained human rights defenders, migrant workers and independent media.
In Russia's far east, a feminist theatre director comes under attack
Yulia Tsvetkova was building a community in her hometown in Russia's far east — until she was targeted by violent homophobes and a hostile police.
#NiñasNoMadres: Argentines protest against the forced pregnancy of young girls
The story of Lucía, an 11-year-old girl forced to carry a pregnancy to term after being raped, became a symbol in the struggle for the right to safe abortion.
Bangladeshis turn to video sites during COVID-19 lockdown
Affordable access to 4G services in Bangladesh over the last two years caused YouTube viewership to skyrocket; now, the COVID-19 lockdown will spur further growth.
Is India fighting COVID-19 the ‘mass surveillance’ way?
"There isn’t enough information available on what data will be collected, how long will it be stored and what uses it will be put to."
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: Restrictions tighten
"From the city lockdown to the community lockup, restriction on our activities has become stricter and stricter, and we are deprived of our power little by little."
As Russia goes into lockdown, feminists fear an epidemic of domestic violence
Russia is seized by fear of the coronavirus epidemic. But for some Russian women under lockdown, the priority is to survive the epidemic of domestic violence.
Nigeria’s elite ‘above the law’ as the poor struggle with COVID-19 measures
The majority of Nigeria's poor live by the day in overcrowded and squalid shanties, without running water and modern toilet facilities. They cannot and will not survive a lockdown.