In-depth English analysis and breaking news from the heart of West Africa's Sahel region.
The Burkina Faso government recently took a step forward in July 2025 by releasing five journalists and a human rights activist who had been forcibly conscripted into the military after criticizing the military junta. While this release marks a positive shift, it also highlights the ongoing plight of others who remain unaccounted for, some since […]
tackling sickle cell disease in Niger: breaking the silence for better health outcomes What if a simple blood analysis before marriage could fundamentally alter a life’s trajectory? “Upon my arrival at the helm of the National Reference Center for Sickle Cell Disease (CNRD), one particular story left an indelible mark: that of a parent, driven […]
APPEL URGENT – L’OBSERVATOIRE BFA 002 / 0525 / OBS 022Enlèvement / Disparition forcéeBurkina Faso2 mai 2025 L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains, fruit d’une collaboration entre la Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH) et l’Organisation mondiale contre la torture (OMCT), appelle à une intervention immédiate concernant la situation préoccupante au […]
Click to expand Image (Nairobi) – Human Rights Watch today urged Nigerien authorities to immediately release former President Mohamed Bazoum, who has now been held arbitrarily for two years since a military coup. His continued detention marks a significant disregard for the rule of law in Niger. On July 26, 2023, military officers from the […]
The Malian Armed Forces and their allied Russian-backed Wagner Group have been accused of committing dozens of summary executions and forced disappearances of Fulani men since January 2025. These allegations, supported by credible reports, highlight a disturbing pattern of abuse in Mali’s ongoing conflict against Islamist armed groups. Click to expand Image Key Allegations and […]
Drépanocytose au Burkina Faso : la mission inspirante de Dre Gloria Damoaliga Berges Ouagadougou — Au Burkina Faso, la drépanocytose touche environ 4,63 % de la population, avec près de 2 % des nouveau-nés diagnostiqués avec la forme SS, la plus grave. Cette maladie génétique, qui provoque des douleurs chroniques et des complications multiples, nécessite […]
As instability and forced displacement persist across Mali’s central and northern regions, women face escalating risks of gender-based violence, a United Nations agency has warned. Following an investigation conducted last May, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health matters, reported “a surge in instances of sexual violence within […]