In-depth English analysis and breaking news from the heart of West Africa's Sahel region.
WHO bolsters health NGO efforts in Mali amid crisis Since 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) has led coordination efforts for the health cluster in Mali, ensuring partners align their interventions effectively. As of 2025, Mali faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with 6.4 million people—28% of its population—requiring urgent assistance. However, the humanitarian response plan […]
Empowering Midwives in Mali: How Skilled Care Saves Lives Bamako – Kadidia, a 19-year-old student in Bamako, once hesitated to discuss contraception. “I was afraid of judgment,” she admits. “People in my neighborhood might talk if they knew.” Like many young women in Mali, she faced social, cultural, and structural barriers to sexual and reproductive […]
When the infamous Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries announced its withdrawal from Mali earlier this year, it proclaimed on social media that its “mission was accomplished.” However, the reality of their three-and-a-half-year engagement in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations proved disastrous. Mali, a nation in the Sahel region, tragically remains identified as a global epicenter of […]
Nos opérations Burkina Faso Depuis 2008 Nos opérations Burkina Faso Chiffres clés Population:23 548 781 PIB par habitant:987,3 Indice de développement humain:186 / 193 Volume opérationnel:23 165 251 Personnes soutenues:1 238 398 Espérance de vie:61 ans Équipe:367 Burkina Faso Lieux d’intervention 1. Bobo-Dioulasso 2. Dori 3. Fada N’gourma 4. Ouagadougou 5. Ouahigouya 6. Tenkodogo Depuis […]
Mali’s democratic backslide: UN warns of shrinking civic space and suspended elections The United Nations is sounding the alarm over Mali’s deteriorating political climate. In a strong statement, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed grave concerns about the indefinite postponement of elections and the escalation of repression targeting civil society. “Recent […]
Mali: escalating repression and authoritarian drift under military rule Human rights The UN’s top human rights official has issued a stark warning about Mali’s deteriorating political landscape, where democratic processes are eroding in favor of an increasingly authoritarian regime. Since seizing power in 2020, Mali’s military leadership has systematically consolidated control under General Assimi Goïta, […]
On September 1st, the transitional legislative assembly of Burkina Faso passed a controversial bill that criminalizes consensual same-sex relationships, marking a significant setback for LGBT rights in the country. Under the new legislation, individuals found guilty of homosexuality face up to five years in prison, along with substantial fines. This move has drawn sharp criticism […]
Niger: crackdown on justice sector unions and judicial independence under threat 21/08/2025 Déclaration Niger Défenseurs des droits humains Tingey Injury Law Firm / Unsplash The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a collaborative initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), strongly condemns the dissolution […]
Burkina Faso takes action against UN representative over critical report The military-led government in Burkina Faso has declared the UN’s top representative in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata following the release of a damning UN report on child rights violations. This marks the second time in three years that the junta has expelled […]
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 […]