Rwanda
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Appel à une enquête indépendante sur la mort du chanteur rwandais Kizito Mihigo
Lettre ouverte à tous les chefs de gouvernement du Commonwealth
Des organisations de la société civile à travers le monde demandent aux autorités rwandaises d’autoriser une enquête indépendante, impartiale et efficace sur sa mort en détention du chanteur populaire de gospel et activiste pour la paix Kizito Mihigo. Alors que vos gouvernements marquent Commonwealth Day aujourd’hui et s’apprêtent à participer au sommet des chefs de gouvernement du Commonwealth à Kigali en juin, nous vous écrivons pour vous demander de vous engager auprès de vos homologues du gouvernement rwandais afin de soutenir cet appel.
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Call for independent investigation into Rwandan singer Kizito Mihigo’s death
Open letter to all Commonwealth Heads of Government
Civil society organisations around the world are calling on the Rwandan authorities to allow an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into the death in custody of Kizito Mihigo, a popular gospel singer and peace activist. As your governments mark Commonwealth Day today and prepare to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali in June, we are writing to ask you to engage with your counterparts in the Rwandan government in support of this call.
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COP26 : « Nous espérons que les mots se traduiront par des engagements qui changeront les comportements »
À la veille de la 26ème Conférence des Parties des Nations Unies sur le changement climatique (COP26), qui se tiendra à Glasgow, au Royaume-Uni, du 31 octobre au 12 novembre 2021, CIVICUS a interrogé des militants, des dirigeants et des experts de la société civile sur les défis environnementaux auxquels ils sont confrontés dans leur contexte, les actions qu’ils entreprennent pour y faire face et leurs attentes pour le sommet à venir.
CIVICUS s’entretient avec Theophile Hatagekimana, secrétaire exécutif de Rwanda Environment Awareness Organization (REAO), une organisation de la société civile rwandaise qui œuvre à la sensibilisation au changement climatique et aux questions environnementales et promeut la mise en œuvre de politiques de gestion environnementale rationnelle.
Quel est le principal problème environnemental de votre communauté sur lequel vous travaillez ?
Nous travaillons sur la résilience et l’atténuation du changement climatique dans le respect des droits humains. Ces dernières années, nous avons commencé à collaborer aux efforts du gouvernement pour réduire la quantité de combustible utilisée pour la cuisine des ménages. Nous avons uni nos forces sur cette initiative et d’autres, car le gouvernement rwandais est très proactif en matière d’atténuation du changement climatique.
Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous enseignons aux personnes vulnérables, notamment les jeunes femmes, les femmes pauvres, les mères adolescentes célibataires et les victimes d’abus sexuels, à utiliser des méthodes de cuisson améliorées telles que les cuisinières au lieu du bois de chauffage, ce qui permet non seulement d’éviter l’abattage de nombreux arbres et de réduire leur exposition aux émissions toxiques dans leur maison, mais aussi de gagner beaucoup de temps. Nous les encourageons à consacrer le temps ainsi gagné à des activités d’épanouissement personnel, d’éducation et d’interaction sociale, et à s’engager dans des activités génératrices de revenus.
Nous plantons également des arbres pour restaurer les forêts, et plantons et distribuons des arbres agroforestiers, qui rendent le sol plus résilient et capable de faire face à des événements climatiques extrêmes tels que les sécheresses et les fortes pluies, tout en fournissant de la nourriture, du fourrage, des matières premières industrielles, du bois, du combustible et du paillis, contribuant ainsi à diversifier les régimes alimentaires et les revenus. L’un de nos projets consiste à acheter des graines et à les planter dans les écoles, dans le cadre d’un programme qui comprend l’éducation environnementale, la démonstration des principes environnementaux en développant des pratiques vertes dans la vie quotidienne, et le développement d’une éthique environnementale.
Bien qu’il puisse sembler que nous ne travaillons que sur la protection de l’environnement, nous sommes en réalité très préoccupés par la dimension « droits humains » de la protection de l’environnement. C’est pourquoi nous nous opposons à la pratique consistant à déplacer des personnes sans leur accorder une compensation adéquate. Nous sensibilisons les personnes aux droits que leur confère la loi et les aidons à les faire valoir si nécessaire. Nous leur fournissons les outils nécessaires pour qu’ils apprennent à connaître leurs droits tels qu’ils sont définis par le droit international et le droit rwandais.
Quel lien entretenez-vous avec le mouvement international pour le climat ?
De nombreux militants, dont je fais partie, entretiennent des liens personnels avec des organisations internationales et avec leurs pairs dans le monde entier. Mais aussi au niveau organisationnel, nous essayons d’entrer en contact avec d’autres groupes qui ont une mission similaire à la nôtre et de participer à des réseaux et coalitions sur le climat et l’environnement. Le REAO est membre du Rwanda Climate Change and Development Network, une association nationale d’organisations environnementales. Au niveau international, nous travaillons en réseau avec d’autres organisations impliquées dans la protection et l’atténuation du changement climatique, et avons collaboré avec l’Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature et le Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, entre autres.
Dans quelle mesure espérez-vous que la COP26 fera des progrès en matière d’atténuation du changement climatique ?
Nous saluons tous les efforts internationaux visant à prendre des décisions coordonnées pour protéger l’environnement et améliorer le bien-être des communautés, et nous espérons que la COP26 débouchera sur des actions concrètes pour lutter contre le changement climatique et la dégradation de l’environnement. Au niveau du discours, bien sûr, tout ce que les dirigeants des pays disent sur la scène mondiale est exactement ce que nous voulons entendre ; rien de tout cela ne va à l’encontre de notre mission, de notre vision et de nos valeurs. Nous espérons qu’à la COP26, ces paroles se traduiront par des engagements qui entraîneront un changement positif dans le comportement de leurs pays en matière de climat.
Quel changement voudriez-vous voir - dans le monde ou dans votre communauté - pour aider à résoudre la crise climatique ?
Au niveau mondial, nous voulons que les plus gros pollueurs agissent pour réduire considérablement leurs émissions. Des pays comme la Chine, l’Inde, les États-Unis et d’autres doivent prendre des décisions claires et agir sur le changement climatique, ou nous subirons tous les conséquences de leur inaction. Nous attendons des grands pollueurs qu’ils assument le coût des solutions pour le climat et que la facture soit réglée.
Au niveau local, nous espérons que les conditions de vie des communautés défavorisées s’amélioreront et s’adapteront au changement climatique avec le soutien de politiques publiques appropriées et de financements gouvernementaux.
L’espace civique auRwanda est classé « réprimé »par leCIVICUS Monitor.
Contactez Rwanda Environment Awareness Organization via sonsite web et sa pageFacebook. -
COP26: ‘We hope that at COP26 words will translate into commitments that will change behaviours’
In the run-up to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which will take place in Glasgow, UK between 31 October and 12 November 2021, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders and experts about the environmental challenges they face in their contexts, the actions they are undertaking to tackle them and their expectations for the upcoming summit.
CIVICUS speaks with Theophile Hatagekimana, Executive Secretary of Rwanda Environment Awareness Organisation (REAO), a Rwandan civil society organisation that works to create awareness about climate change and environmental issues and to promote sound environmental management policies.
What’s the key environmental issue in your community that you’re working on?
We work on climate change resilience and mitigation with respect for human rights. In recent years we have started collaborating with government efforts to reduce the amount of fuel used for cooking at the household level. We have joined forces with the Rwandan government in this and other initiatives because they are being very proactive in the area of climate change mitigation.
Within this project, we teach vulnerable people, including young women, poor women, adolescent single mothers, and victims of sexual abuse, how to use improved cooking methods such as stoves instead of firewood, which not only saves trees and reduces their exposure to toxic emissions in their homes, but also saves them a lot of time. We encourage them to allocate the time saved in the process to self-development activities including education and social interaction, as well as to engage in income-generating activities.
We also plant trees to restore forests and we plant and distribute agroforestry trees, which make the soil more resilient and able to tackle extreme climatic events such as drought and torrential rain, as well as providing food, forage, industrial raw materials, lumber, fuel, and mulch, helping diversify diets and income. One of our projects focuses on purchasing seeds and planting them in schools, within the framework of a programme that includes ecological literacy, the demonstration of environmental principles by developing green practices on a day-to-day basis, and the development of environmental ethics.
Though it might seem that we work only on environment protection, we are in fact very concerned with the human rights dimension of environmental protection, so we oppose the practice of displacing people without proper compensation. We raise awareness among the public about their rights as provided in law and support them to claim them when necessary. A case in point is that of the Batwa Indigenous people who are often expelled from their land, so we provide them the tools so that they will know their rights as provided in international and Rwandan law.
How do you connect with the broader international climate movement?
Many activists, including myself, maintain personal connections with international organisations and peers around the world. But also at the organisational level, we try to connect with other groups that have a similar mission to ours and take part in climate and environmental networks and coalitions. REAO is a member of the Rwanda Climate Change and Development Network, a national association of environment defenders’ organisations. At the international level, we network with other organisations that work on climate change protection and mitigation, and we have worked in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Development Programme, among others.
What hopes, if any, do you have for COP26 to make any progress in climate change mitigation?
We welcome all international efforts aimed at making coordinated decisions to protect the environment and improve the wellbeing of communities, and we are hopeful that COP26 will result in the adoption of concrete measures to address climate change and environmental degradation. At the discursive level, of course, all that national leaders say on the global stage is exactly what we want to hear; none of it goes against our mission, vision and values. We hope that at COP26 those words will translate into commitments that will result in positive change in their countries’ behaviour on climate issues.
What one change would you like to see – in the world or in your community – to help address the climate crisis?
On the global level, we want to see action by the countries that are the biggest polluters aimed at reducing it substantially. Countries like China, India, the USA and others should take clear decisions and act on climate change issues or we will all face the consequences of their inaction. We hope that big polluters will pay for climate solutions and the bill will be settled.
At the local level, we hope to see the living conditions of less advantaged communities improve and adapt to climate change with the support of government policies and funding.
Civic space inRwandais rated as ‘repressed’by theCIVICUS Monitor.
Get in touch with Rwanda Environment Awareness Organisation through itswebsite andFacebook page. -
Country recommendations for UN Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights
All UN member states have their human rights records reviewed every 4.5 years. CIVICUS and partners make UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Australia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, and Rwanda
CIVICUS and its partners have made joint and stand-alone UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on 7 countries in advance of the 37th UPR session (January 2021). The submissions examine the state of civil society in each country, including the promotion and protection of the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression and the environment for human rights defenders. We further provide an assessment of the States’ domestic implementation of civic space recommendations received during the 2nd UPR cycle over 4 years ago and provide a number of targeted follow-up recommendations.
Australia –This submission raises alarm over the increasing criminalisation of climate and environmental movements and defenders, including Indigenous peoples, scientists, student strikers and environmental organisations, in the wake of Australia’s recent bushfires. It further discusses the unwarranted restrictions on media freedoms due, in large part, to an increase in police raids on independent media outlets. Moreover, its expresses concern over recent attempts to silence whistle-blowers who reveal government wrongdoing under the Intelligence Services Act.
Lebanon – In its submission CIVICUS, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, International Media Support (IMS), Social Media Exchange (SMEX) examine how the government has persistently failed to address the brutal and violent dispersal of peaceful protests, the arrest and prosecution of journalists and protesters and restrictions on the activities of CSOs advocating for women’s and LGBTQI+ rights. It also discusses legal and extra-legal restrictions on the freedom of association and, in particular, the systematic targeting of associations and activities by the LGBTQI+ community. Moreover, it assesses the continued deterioration of the freedom of expression, as highlighted by the increase in judicial proceedings against media outlets critical of the authorities, threats to digital rights, raids and attacks by security forces and sometimes by members of the public on media outlets.
Mauritania (FR) – CIVICUS and Réseau Ouest-Africain des Défenseurs des Droits Humains/ West African Human Rights Defenders Network (ROADDH / WAHRDN) demonstrates that since its last review, the Government of Mauritania has not implemented any of the recommendations relating to civic space. Instead, civic space in Mauritania remains repressed, and civil society actors, especially those working on anti-slavery campaigns and seeking to end racial and ethnic discrimination are frequently targeted and intimidated by the state. Civil society actors face legal and practical barriers to exercising their rights to association and peacefully assembly, which is hampered by the 1964 Law on Associations and Law No. 73-008 on Public Assemblies.
Myanmar– The submission by CIVICUS, Free Expression Myanmar and Asia Democracy Network highlights the use of an array of unwarrantedly restrictive laws to arrest and prosecute human rights defenders, activists, journalists and government critics for the peaceful exercise of their freedoms of association and expression. It also documents the restrictions on peaceful protests in law and practice, the arbitrary arrest and prosecution of protesters and the use of excessive force and firearms to disperse protests against government policies and land disputes with businesses.
Nepal –CIVICUS and Freedom Forum examine howrepressive laws, including amendments made to Nepal’s criminal code, have been used to limit the work of independent CSOs and suppress the freedom of expression. The submission further discusses how the ongoing attacks against journalists and the suppression of peaceful assembly continues to undermine civil space in the country. An evaluation of a range of legal sources and human rights documentation addressed in this submission demonstrate that the Government of Nepal has not implemented any of the recommendations relating to civic space during its previous UPR examination.
Oman –The Omani Association for Human Rights, Gulf Centre for Human Rights and CIVICUS highlight the closure of civic space in Oman and the use of restrictive legislation to target human rights defenders, journalists and writers and civil society organisations. We outline concerns over the forced closure of human rights organisations, the shutting down of independent newspapers and the banning of books and other publications. Human rights defenders and journalists are often subjected to arbitrary arrests and judicial persecution for their reporting and human rights activities. Due to these restrictions, several human rights defenders and their families have fled into exile. Freedom of peaceful assembly is also severely restricted as provisions in the Penal Code are used to pre-empt and prevent protests and stop those that actually take place.
Rwanda –The submission byCIVICUS and DefendDefenders (EHAHRDP) outlines serious concerns related to the unabated repression of the work of human rights defenders, civil society activists and journalists. The submission explores how restrictions on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association, expression and access to information have been codified and willfully misapplied under Law No. 68/2018 (on assembly), Law N0 04/12 (on association and activities of CSOs), and the Law on Prevention and Punishment of Cybercrimes (expression and access to information). The Submission makes a number of action-oriented recommendations in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Rwandan Constitution, the ICCPR, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and Human Rights Council resolutions 22/6, 27/5 and 27/31.
See all of our UPR submissions here.
Country civic space ratings from the CIVICUS Monitor:
Australia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Rwanda
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Rwanda: questionable trial after journalist's death
CIVICUS and 85 other organisations reiterate the call for an independent investigation
Rwandan authorities must allow an independent, impartial and effective investigation into the death of the Rwandan journalist John Williams Ntwali, 86 civil society organizations and media associations said today, reiterating a January 31 appeal. A credible process should be carried out given the hasty conviction of the driver of the car allegedly involved in a collision with the motorcycle he was travelling on and the lack of transparency surrounding the investigation.
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Rwanda: UN rights review should shed light on civic space restrictions
Statement on Rwanda ahead of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights
A United Nations review of Rwanda’s human rights record is an opportunity to shed light on civic space restrictions in the country, DefendDefenders and CIVICUS said ahead of Rwanda’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which will take place on Monday 25 January 2021 in Geneva. These restrictions include attacks on civil society actors and citizens seeking to peacefully exercise their rights to free expression, assembly, and association.
“We are concerned over the vast and growing disconnect between the law and the practice in Rwanda,” said Hassan Shire, Executive Director, DefendDefenders. “The government should use the recommendations offered by states, UN experts, and civil society to take corrective action and ensure that Rwandan citizens are able to exercise their rights.”
Rwanda’s authorities have seriously restricted civic space. Human rights defenders, civil society members, and journalists face threats, intimidation, targeted attacks, smear campaigns, surveillance, reprisals for cooperating with the UN, and the risk of arbitrary arrest, detention, and judicial harassment. Opposition political parties and associations face undue obstacles, including to register and peacefully demonstrate, as well as government infil-tration attempts.
Altogether, the restrictions documented in a report by DefendDefenders and CIVICUS have given rise to a “hostile environment” for freedom of expression, both online and offline, and for the media. Citizens and journalists face risks of arrest and prosecution on “defamation,” “cybercrimes,” and other charges.
“Civil society is a valuable partner in governance, and should not be treated as the enemy,” said Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer, CIVICUS. “Rwandan authorities should stop interfering with civil society activities, duly investigate attacks against civil society actors, and punish perpetrators if they are serious about good governance.”
Ahead of the session, DefendDefenders and CIVICUS submitted a report analysing Rwanda’s implementation of the recommendations it received during its second UPR, in 2015, and developments regarding civic space. The report formulates recommendations which UN member states can take up during Rwanda’s review in order to push the Rwandan government to end violations and improve the situation.
The UPR is a process set up by the Human Rights Council, the UN’s principal human rights body. Every four-and-a-half to five years, every UN member state goes through a review of its human rights record in a process in which it receives recommendations from other states, which it can accept or reject. Civil society can participate in the process by submitting “alternative reports” and engaging in advocacy at the national and UN levels.
For more information, please contact:
Hassan Shire
Executive Director, DefendDefenders or +256 772 753 753 (English and Somali)Nicolas Agostini
Representative to the United Nations, DefendDefenders or +41 79 813 49 91 (English and French)David Kode
Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, CIVICUS or +27 73 775 8649 (English)Susan Wilding
Head of Geneva Office, CIVICUS or +41 79 605 46 94 (English)
Civic space in Rwanda is rated as Repressed by the CIVICUS Monitor, see country page.
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Rwanda's Adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights
Statement at 47th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights -- Outcome Adoption for RwandaCIVICUS and its partners welcome the government of Rwanda’s engagement with the UPR process and particularly for accepting 160 out 284 UPR recommendations. We also welcome the revision of the Penal Code and decriminalization of all press-related offences, including defamation; enshrining the freedoms of opinion, expression, the press, association and peaceful assembly in the Constitution; as well as expanding media space, resulting in an increase in the number of radio and television stations and of registered print and online media organizations in Rwanda.
Notwithstanding some positive legislative developments, we are concerned about ongoing civic space restrictions, and the vast and growing disconnect between law and practice in freedom of expression and media freedoms, which remain severely and unwarrantedly restricted. We also note with concern that institutional and legal impediments for protection of human rights remain; authorities continue to target and attack HRDs despite commitments made during the second UPR cycle to strengthen policies aimed to protect them. Investigation and accountability for perpetrators of human rights abuses, are still challenges for the new administration.
We are concerned by restrictions, both by public authorities and legal frameworks, on freedom of peaceful assembly despite this right being enshrined in the constitution. The continued use of Law No. 68/2018 - Determining Offences and Penalties in General, hinders citizens from exercising their freedom to associate and assembly.
Madame President, CIVICUS and its partners call on the Government of Rwanda to immediately and urgently take proactive measures to implement all UPR recommendations, particularly pertaining to efforts to addressing civic space and human rights.
Civic space in Rwanda is rated as Repressed by the CIVICUS Monitor
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UK: ‘The government continues to scapegoat migrants and fuel racist rhetoric to cover its policy failures’
CIVICUS speaks with Aria Danaparamita, Advocacy Director of theJoint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI),about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
The JCWI has been challenging policies that lead to discrimination, destitution and the denial of rights in the UK for more than 50 years. It provides legal and advice services to immigrants and asylum-seekers.
How different is the new treaty that the UK signed with Rwanda from its predecessor?
The new agreement is different from the previous one because it’s a treaty between the governments of the UK and Rwanda, while the previous one was only a memorandum of understanding. A treaty is legally binding under international law and requires scrutiny by the UK parliament, while the previous agreement was simply signed by the UK Home Secretary.
The new treaty is accompanied by draft ‘emergency legislation’ seeking to provide the legal basis for maintaining that Rwanda is a safe country, which is a prerequisite for the treaty to be implemented without the UK breaching its international obligations towards asylum seekers.
The treaty includes provisions aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the UK Supreme Court about the systemic risks of human rights violations if people were to be sent to Rwanda. However, these provisions – which are at this point just words on paper – will be wholly inadequate. The Supreme Court was unanimous and unequivocal in its evidence-based finding that Rwanda is not a safe country, and the risks are systemic and cannot be improved in a matter of months, despite the government’s wishes. Because of this, the treaty and the provisions in the Rwanda Bill are nothing more than an attempt to legislate the fiction that Rwanda is safe, despite overwhelming evidence on the contrary.
Many people across the UK and across civil society are united in their strong rejection of the Rwanda plan. We have told the government ever since the first Rwanda flight was planned that this is a cruel and inhumane plan, and that it risks breaching the UK’s obligations under international law as well as our moral duty to protect people in search of safety. We continue to resist the government’s failed and inhumane Rwanda plan because we should not be sending people to places where their lives are at risk – whether Rwanda or anywhere else.
Do you view this as part of a wider trend?
We are seeing more and more policies that are hostile towards people on the move, particularly in western, former colonial countries. It is both ironic and unjust that the countries that have historically benefited, and continue to benefit, most from migration are now turning people away at their borders, often with high levels of violence. Across European lands and seas, we have seen lives taken away by cruel border regimes that do not value migrants as people. We urge the UK government to stop making policies driven by hate and hostility, and instead protect the rights of everyone to move, work and live freely.
Migration is a fact of life. We as humans have always moved, whether to the next town or to another country across the world. In fact, the most recent immigration statistics show that the UK urgently needs migrant workers to increase its labour force.
But instead of recognising the genuine need to welcome migrants in this country, or acknowledging the ways people contribute to our communities, the government continues to scapegoat migrants and fuel racist rhetoric to cover its policy failures – to address the deepening cost-of-living crisis, to reform our crippled healthcare sector, or to provide adequate public services after years of austerity.
What would the impact if the Rwanda plan were to be implemented?
The Rwanda plan has always been cruel, inhumane and, as the Supreme Court’s judgement unequivocally shows, unlawful. We cannot send people away to places where their lives might be at risk. It is against international law, our domestic law and our moral compass as a society.
If the Rwanda Bill is passed, it will almost certainly breach international law. The Home Secretary himself has acknowledged that he cannot guarantee it will comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. It will also stand to breach numerous conventions, from the Refugee Convention to the Convention against Torture.
The human cost of this bill will be catastrophic. Even before it has passed, we have seen the prospect of being sent to Rwanda drive the people we support into extreme anxiety and mental distress, and we continue to see alarming rates of self-harm and suicides. We cannot let this bill pass or be implemented. By implementing it, the government will be forcing people to face certain and irreversible harm.
How is UK civil society, and your organisation in particular, working to help migrants?
JCWI support migrants in various ways, including by providing legal representation and high-quality legal advice. We also campaign alongside migrants and grassroots communities for migrant justice.
For doing this work, in recent years we have faced increasingly hostile and racist rhetoric led by those in power and enabled by the media. However, we will not let this stop us. We know that most people are kind and compassionate and believe that we all have the right to live safe, thriving lives regardless of where we are from. Together we can build the world we want to live in, free from harm and border violence.
Civic space in the UK is rated ‘obstructed’ by theCIVICUS Monitor.
Get in touch with the JCWI through itswebpage orFacebook page, and follow @JCWI_UK onTwitter andInstagram.
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UK: ‘The Rwanda plan sets a worrying precedent for the future of migration and human rights’
CIVICUS speaks with Julia Tinsley-Kent, Policy and Strategic Communications Manager of the Migrants’ Rights Network, about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
The Migrants’ Rights Network is a UK charity that stands in solidarity with migrants in their fight for rights and justice.
How different is the new treaty that the UK signed with Rwanda from its predecessor? Do you think it will be implemented?
The Supreme Court recently upheld a ruling that the UK government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda was unlawful on the basis that the country is unsafe and that there was a risk of refoulement – the forcible return of migrants to a country where they are likely to face persecution.
However, the UK government has not been deterred and has pressed ahead with new legislation that would declare Rwanda a safe country. The new Bill would give the government the power to disapply elements of the Human Rights Act 1998 and ignore European Court of Human Rights injunctions against deportation flights. It also puts a legal obligation on the courts to consider Rwanda a safe country when considering removal decisions, and to not entertain any claim based on the UK’s Human Rights Act or international law obligations.
The UK government has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to outsourcing its protection obligations to other countries like Rwanda. Regardless of whether this policy is eventually implemented, it has already caused harm to migrant communities in Britain and demonstrated what lengths the government is prepared to go in deterring people from seeking safety and a new life in the UK.
What is concerning about the plan is the worrying precedent it sets for the future of migration and human rights. It shows the UK government is prepared to overhaul the judicial system to push through regressive and cruel policies.
Do you view this as part of a wider regional or global restrictive trend?
The Rwanda plan is one component of the UK’s increasingly hostile environment for migrants. This is reflective of a wider global trend. Across the world, but particularly in Europe and the USA, governments are pouring money into tightening already highly militarised borders.
In times of crisis or economic instability, governments will scapegoat excluded groups and migrants to distract from their own failings. It is the oldest trick in the book. At a time where the UK is in the midst of a chronic cost of living crisis where growing numbers of people are struggling to feed their families or pay their bills, the government is shifting the blame and attention on to migrants.
Contemporary attitudes and policies on migration draw on decades of restrictive racist immigration policies, aimed at keeping out particular groups of migrants. We must acknowledge the disparities between who is constructed as welcome in the west and who is not. For example, hostile borders and immigration policies have not been imposed on white people from Ukraine nor wealthy, western expats. Instead, it is people of colour and those from majority-Muslim countries who withstand the worst of them.
How does UK civil society and your organisation in particular work to help migrants?
At the Migrants’ Rights Network, we stand in solidarity with migrants in their fights for rights and justice. We are a charity mostly led by migrants and migratised people – people assumed to be migrants – that campaigns for transformational change to tackle oppression at its source. We are not a formal network but we work to establish and strengthen connections because we believe it is through building bonds between people that we have the greatest opportunity to achieve transformational change. We are led by the opinions, views and experiences of migrants and grassroots organisations and are willing to be challenged. In particular, we look at how racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and other systems of oppression shape immigration systems and how migrants are constructed in prevalent narratives.
Our work takes many forms. Among these, we use our platform to raise awareness of pressing issues amongst politicians and policy makers, and in the media; work with people and organisations to build campaigns and links with legal experts to pursue strategic litigation; build an evidence base for change by co-curating with affected migrants to better understand the issues and inform our work and the work of others; promote partnership and collaboration between different causes and campaigns, to enable information and resource sharing; inform migrant communities on their rights through our tailored resources and training; and develop alternative narratives to counter harmful rhetoric and narratives around migration through informative and creative campaigns.
British migration charities should focus on delivering much-needed support and campaigning for liberation, but must also ensure that they are held to account by migrants. Recommendations are often based on assumptions rather than experience, so we must ensure we remain accountable to those who have moved across borders.
Civic space in the UK is rated ‘obstructed’ by theCIVICUS Monitor.
Get in touch with Migrants’ Rights Network through itswebpage orFacebook page and follow @migrants_rights_network onTwitter andInstagram.
The opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIVICUS.
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Widespread arrests, attacks and legal restrictions facing LGBTQI+ activists across Africa finds new report
Widespread arrests, attacks and legal restrictions facing LGBTQI+ activists across Africa finds new report
Johannesburg | 4 July, 2023
- Same-sex relations criminalised in at least 27 countries south of the Sahara
- Organisations shut down and offices raided for their work on LGBTQI+ rights
- Widespread bans on the publication of information on gay rights
- Anti-LGBTQI+ laws and practices disproportionately impact other excluded groups including women, children and victims of abuse
From Uganda to Cameroon, LGBTQI+ activists face significant restrictions due to the prevailing social, cultural and legal attitudes towards homosexuality and gender identity. A new report by CIVICUS, Challenging Barriers: Investigating Civic Space Limitations on LGBTQI+ Rights in Africa, looks at some common challenges faced by activists and civil society groups in countries south of the Sahara.
Many African countries have laws that criminalise same sex activity. The laws, often remnants of colonial era legislation, can be used to target and prosecute LGBTQI+ individuals, including activists. Penalties range from fines, imprisonment to even the death penalty in some countries.
Limited legal protection in many African countries offers little or no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This lack of protection makes it difficult for activists and civil society groups to advocate for equal rights or seek justice when they face human rights abuses. The offices and activities of civil society organisations advocating for LGBTQI+ rights have been either raided or shutdown in Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Cameroon.
Attacks against people who identify as LGBTQI+ are common in countries such as Benin, Cameroon and Kenya. In Cameroon since 2022 there have been over 30 recorded cases of violence and abuse against LGBTQI+ people, while in Kenya sexual minority groups face escalating homophobic attacks. In January 2023, following a series of killings in 2022, unknown assailants murdered and dumped the body of LGBTQI+ activist Edwin Chiloba. Chiloba’s death, which many linked to his sexual orientation sparked public outrage, with civil society groups and members of the public denouncing the murder and calling on the authorities to bring those involved to justice.
“With the escalating hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community in Africa, this report sheds light on the grave reality faced by many, and compels us to challenge prejudice, and advocate for equality - especially for the most marginalised. Governments must ensure equal protection for all people in accordance with their obligations on non-discrimination under international human rights law. We implore governments to take robust measures to safeguard the rights and well-being of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Sylvia Mbataru, CIVICUS’ Civic Space Researcher for Eastern & Southern Africa.
Censorship and restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly have contributed to a deteriorating environment for activists. In several countries, the publication and dissemination of material on LGBTQI+ issues face strict editorial controls and bans. CIVICUS also documents how protests are being suppressed, including the use of various laws to deny permits for public demonstrations, specifically targeting LGBTQI gatherings.
Despite the hostile environment in many countries, civil society groups continue to advocate for LGBTQI+ rights and score important victories. The report also documents a number of positive developments including the decriminalization of same sex relations in Botswana and Gabon, as well as a recent Supreme Court decision in Namibia to recognise same-sex marriages concluded abroad between citizens and foreign spouses.
The report concludes by demonstrating the impact of civic space restrictions against LGBTQI+ groups, and shows how the ramifications of these restrictions also affect other excluded groups including women and children.
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