Civil and Political Rights

Big tech’s role in African elections: A double-edged sword

Global technology giants are shaping the future of African politics in complex and myriad ways. Big tech offers powerful tools to engage citizens and enhance democracy. However, tighter regulation and greater accountability is needed to combat voter manipulation, misinformation and privacy concerns.

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Legal gender recognition in North Macedonia: a question dividing society

For years, transgender people have battled traditional norms in order to gain social acceptance. Now, North Macedonia is faced with an international obligation which will hopefully provide the push to take much-needed steps to enable legal gender recognition.

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Duty to Protect: Nationalism and LGBTIQ+ Freedoms in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

A series of attempts to ban LGBTIQ+ events and content in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina hinder freedoms of assembly and expression. Upholding democratic values of tolerance and inclusivity is vital to combat exclusionary politics and ensure equality for all.

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The limits of ‘one person, one vote’ in the age of disillusionment and anti-politics: Experiences from the Philippines and Indonesia

The context and dynamics of suffrage and the overall ability of citizens to claim their rights have changed. Inequality, which the COVID-19 pandemic magnified, and extreme polarisation deter citizens from meaningful participation. A rights-based approach to address these problems is imperative.

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The hijab ban and human rights of Muslim women in Europe

The rise of Islamophobia in Europe specifically affects covered Muslim women. Legal restrictions and social hostility towards headscarves impede their right to express their faith, identity, and access to other human rights. These prohibitions must be approached as oppressive policies that limit the freedom of women to make their own decisions.

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Religious minorities and the loss of their ‘collective effervescence’ in rituals during the COVID-19 pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, religious minorities suffered limitations on their religious rights. Due to such limitations, religious minorities lost what is called the ‘collective effervescence’ of their rituals and started transitioning to a new religious digitalization.

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Winds of far-right sweeping Europe: What to expect when it comes to human rights in Italy?

Last elections in Italy marked the victory of the far right, confirming a European tendency of recent years. This shift poses some basic questions for the country and the European Union in relation to an effective promotion and protection of human rights.

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A Job to Die For? Journalists at risk in Latin America

Professional assassins are murdering more and more Latin American investigative reporters with impunity. Who are the perpetrators? What can be done to safeguard the media in the firing line?

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‘Long Live Belarus!’ A retrospective of protests in Belarus

On February 24, 2022, I woke up in a new reality. My morning began before dawn with phone calls, messages and emails from family, colleagues and friends telling me that Russia had attacked Ukraine, with tanks entering from the territory of Belarus.

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Uganda Must Repeal Colonial Laws to Guarantee Media Freedom

Much has changed since Uganda gained independence in 1962. Yet the country retains colonial laws that impede proper functioning of the media and freedom of expression. State intimidation of journalists also breaches international human rights standards.

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