Author: Aïcha Abdou

Journalist

Cholera outbreak in Niger raises alarm among health officials

Aïcha Abdou

Niger faces rising cholera outbreak as authorities scramble for solutions Health authorities in Niger are urgently responding to a cholera outbreak that has already hospitalized over 600 patients in the Maradi and Zinder regions. Share Heavy seasonal rains along the Niger-Nigeria border have triggered a fresh cholera outbreak in the region. This acute intestinal infection stems from Vibrio cholerae bacteria contaminating stagnant water sources. Official reports confirm over 600 confirmed cases across affected areas, with 400 patients already recovered and 156 currently receiving treatment. Cholera spreads rapidly when contaminated water…

Read More

Urgent hunger crisis: gaza, haiti, Sudan, south Sudan, and Mali face maximum alert

Aïcha Abdou

urgent hunger crisis: gaza, haiti, Sudan, south Sudan, and Mali face maximum alert 16 juin 2025 Aide humanitaire The United Nations recently issued a stark warning, designating Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, South Sudan, and Mali as regions on maximum alert for severe food insecurity. These areas face the most critical risk of hunger for their populations, demanding “urgent” intervention from the global community. Without a swift and extensive humanitarian response, populations in these five critical hotspots face extreme hunger, with a looming risk of famine and widespread fatalities in the coming…

Read More

Burkina Faso’s escalating displacement crisis: thousands flee jihadist violence

Aïcha Abdou

Jihadist violence in Burkina Faso has led to the displacement of nearly 230,000 individuals since the start of the year, humanitarian agencies report. This ongoing security crisis severely impacts children and families across the central Sahel nation. The Rapid Response Operational Coordination Group (GCORR) indicates that approximately 37,000 households have been uprooted due to 48 displacement alerts. This marks a significant 92% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024. In May alone, GCORR recorded nearly 41,000 people affected by 12 displacement alerts nationwide. The Boucle du Mouhoun region bears…

Read More

Moussa tiangari detention exposes Niger’s rights crackdown

Aïcha Abdou

Niger’s authorities must end arbitrary detention of rights defender Moussa Tiangari Human rights organizations are calling for the immediate release of Moussa Tiangari, a prominent civil society activist and human rights defender in Niger. The Nigerien government is urged to stop weaponizing terrorism charges to silence dissenting voices, according to a joint statement by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). Click to expand Image Arbitrary arrest and baseless charges On December 3, 2024, masked individuals claiming to…

Read More

UN experts warn Mali against restricting political parties’ activities

Aïcha Abdou

International human rights experts have strongly criticized a recent legislative move in Mali that threatens fundamental political freedoms. A draft law abolishing key protections for political participation and a decree suspending party activities indefinitely have raised serious concerns about the country’s commitment to human rights obligations. Violation of fundamental rights In a joint statement, UN experts emphasized that these measures represent a direct violation of Mali’s international human rights commitments, particularly regarding freedom of association and expression. The decree, signed after a cabinet meeting, immediately suspends all political party activities,…

Read More

CADHP83 : mettre un terme à la répression des défenseur·e·x·s des droits humains au Sahel

Aïcha Abdou

Renforcer la protection des défenseur·e·x·s au moyen de lignes directrices diplomatiques 14 mars 2026 ISHR lance deux nouveaux outils interactifs visant à renforcer les initiatives diplomatiques en faveur des défenseur·e·x·s des droits humains : l’un s’adresse aux diplomates, l’autre aux défenseur·e·x·s. By Aïcha Abdou — Senior correspondent

Read More

Protests in Bamako against political party ban fears

Aïcha Abdou

Protests erupt in Bamako over alleged military plans to dissolve political parties Hundreds of Malians took to the streets of Bamako on May 3 to voice strong opposition against what they perceive as a looming authoritarian shift by the military regime led by General Assimi Goïta. The rare demonstration unfolded against a backdrop of escalating political repression and growing concerns about the future of democracy in the country. Chanting slogans like “Long live democracy, down with dictatorship,” protesters gathered at the Palais de la Culture in Bamako, rallying under the…

Read More

Mali authorities urged to abandon plan to dissolve political parties

Aïcha Abdou

Why dissolving Mali’s political parties is a dangerous step Ousmane Diallo, a Sahel researcher at Amnesty International’s regional office for West and Central Africa, has strongly criticized a proposal to dissolve all political parties in Mali following consultations on revisions to the Political Parties Charter. He warns that such a move would blatantly violate fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and association. Diallo urges authorities to halt the growing crackdown on civic space and uphold the human rights of all citizens—especially critics, human rights defenders, and opposition members. He emphasizes…

Read More

Forced disappearances as tools of repression by west african military regimes

Aïcha Abdou

Military regimes in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger are systematically using forced disappearances and illegal detentions to silence critics and suppress dissent. These tactics, widely documented in recent reports, target activists, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders who challenge military rule or demand a return to constitutional order. In Guinea, two prominent opposition figures—Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla (also known as Foniké Menguè)—were abducted from Oumar Sylla’s home just before a nationwide protest against rising living costs and military rule. According to Mohamed Cissé, another detained activist who…

Read More

Mali pioneers hybrid malaria vaccine strategy for children

Aïcha Abdou

In a groundbreaking initiative, Mali has become the first country globally to adopt a hybrid malaria vaccination approach, marking a significant advancement in the fight against one of Africa’s deadliest diseases. This innovative strategy combines routine immunization with seasonal vaccination to maximize protection for children most at risk. On World Malaria Day, the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Mali, in collaboration with Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO), launched this pioneering method targeting children aged five to 36 months. The hybrid approach delivers the first three…

Read More

Burkina Faso’s military junta intensifies crackdown on journalists

Aïcha Abdou

Click to expand Image (Nairobi) – The military junta governing Burkina Faso detained three journalists on March 24, 2025, for their reporting on the government’s escalating crackdown on media, Human Rights Watch announced today. Authorities apprehended Guezouma Sanogo and Boukari Ouoba, who serve as president and vice-president of the Association of Journalists of Burkina (AJB) respectively, along with Luc Pagbelguem, a journalist from the private television channel BF1, in the capital city of Ouagadougou. The current whereabouts of these three individuals remain unknown, raising serious concerns about potential enforced disappearances.…

Read More

Repression trends against human rights defenders in Sahel nations

Aïcha Abdou

Sahel governments escalate crackdowns on human rights defenders The Sahel region is witnessing an alarming surge in state-led repression targeting human rights defenders and civil society organizations. A new report reveals systemic attempts by governments in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad to silence dissent through coordinated legal harassment, arbitrary detentions, and digital surveillance. © AFP Systematic repression methods uncovered The report by the Observatoire pour la protection des défenseurs des droits humains (a joint program of FIDH and OMCT) documents 61 verified cases of human rights violations against defenders…

Read More