To be seen, heard and recognised: the defenders of island countries of Africa
This report sheds lights into the lived realities of human rights defenders in six often-overlooked countries in Africa: Cape Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles.
ISHR is excited to launch this first ever report on the situation of human rights defenders working in African island countries. Unfortunately, defenders from island countries are often forgotten, generally receive less protection and their realities remain little known.
Between 2023 and 2024, ISHR was able to visit each country and interview over 350 defenders and government officials. These interviews combined with desk research allowed for a broad analysis of the context, trends, needs, existing mechanisms and policies, gaps and a series of specific cases, which provide in-depth knowledge of the situation of human rights defenders in these island countries.
In particular, the report assesses existing protective measures, identifies good practices and challenges, defenders’ protection needs and areas for improvement. As a key insight, this research reveals that the common aspect of being island countries in Africa does not mean that the violations or restrictions faced by defenders in these countries are similar.