WEST AFRICA

WEST AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS NETWORK

Benin | Burkina Faso | Cabo Verde | Cote d’Ivoire | Gambia | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Liberia | Mali | Mauritania | Niger | Nigeria | Senegal | Sierra Leone | Togo

Created in May 2005, the West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN/ROADDH) is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the work of human rights defenders (HRDs). It is composed of national coalitions for human rights and individual focal points. WAHRDN has observer status to the African Commission of Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and it is a member of the executive committee of the NGO Forum at the ACHPR. It is also a member of the Human Rights Council Network (HRC Net), which is composed of regional and international NGOs conducting advocacy and lobbying activities at the UN Human Rights Council.

Through its advocacy efforts, WAHRDN aims to shape the domestic and foreign policy of West African countries in line with human rights standards, and to strengthen the rule of law. The networks’ strategy is based on close cooperation with diplomatic representations, foreign ministries, National Human Rights Institutions, and regional and international human rights mechanisms to foster a safe working environment for HRDs.

regional map west africa

Coalitions

Coalition Burkinabè des Défenseurs des droits humains (CBDDH)

Coalition Ivoirienne des Défenseurs des droits humains  (CI-DDH)

Coalition Malienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (COMADDH)

Coalition sénégalaise des Défenseurs des droits humains (COSEDDH)

Human Rights Defenders Network – Sierra Leone (HRDNSL)

LATEST UPDATES

25
Apr
2022

Civil society organizations strongly condemn the arrest of SET officials and demand their immediate release

Source: Réseau Ouest Africain des Défenseurs des Droits Humains’ Facebook page 1. In the evening of April 8, 2022, Sirs Kossi KOSSIKAN, Joseph TOYOU and Ditorga Sambara BAYAMINA, respectively Deputy Secretary General, Regional Secretary of Savane and Prefectoral Delegate of the Grand Lome of the
26
Oct
2020

Nigeria: Respect the freedom of assembly

Photo credit: Getty Images The under-listed organisations in West Africa condemn the killings of the youth protesting against police brutality under the #ENDSARS movement in Nigeria. It was reported that the incident happened late in the evening on the 20th October 2020 at the Lekki
27
May
2020

The West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN) denounces a counter-terrorism imbued with a silent genocide on the Fulani people in Burkina Faso.

For more than five years, Burkina Faso has been facing terrorist attacks led by armed endogenous groups or from neighbouring countries, where the populations and the defence and security forces have paid a heavy price. Attacks, kidnappings, killings of people and soldiers and harassment against
12
May
2020

WAHRDN’s statement on the decision of Benin and Côte d’Ivoire to withdraw their declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights

The West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN) recognizes the tremendous progress made by the governments and peoples’ of Benin and Cote d’Ivoire in the promotion and protection of human rights and particular interest in ensuring an effective and independent African human rights system that
04
May
2020

Togo: Authorities must urgently protect human rights defenders

This statement was first posted by  Réseau Ouest Africain des Défenseurs des Droits Humains – Roaddh/wahrdn Togolese authorities urgently need to take action to protect human rights defenders in the performance of their function, said today, AI, the Human Rights defenders s’ Human Rights defenders,
04
Mar
2020

PRESS RELEASE : Togo must respect the freedom of peaceful demonstration

On February 28, 2020, hundreds of protesters who met to organise a peaceful demonstration, following the call of Archbishop Kpodzro, were forbidden to demonstrate and were chased out and some were also arrested. The conduct of the security on the demonstrators resulted in several injuries.