An African woman protecting human rights in the face of war. Photo credit - Meta AI

Human rights are put to the test by wars

Introduction 

Africa is a continent marked by a considerable number of wars. These conflicts inevitably put human rights to the test. Human rights are rights inherent to the human person; this implies that every human being, by virtue of his humanity, is a holder of human rights. Unfortunately, we have to recognise that the guarantee of human rights is being severely tested by armed conflict on the continent. The right to life, the right to health, and the right to development are all severely affected.

 

Failure to Respect the Right to Life

The right to life is a universally recognised right for all human beings. It is a fundamental right that governs all other existing rights. The right to life essentially means the right not to be killed. However, in times of armed conflict, this right is flouted, as evidenced by mass murders, torture resulting in death, etc. Armed conflicts on the African continent continue to plunge African populations into mourning. In most cases, they affect the composition of the family.

 

Undermining the Right to Health

The right to health can be understood as the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. This includes physical, mental, and social well-being. Unfortunately, ongoing armed conflict is undermining this right. The guarantee of this right depends on the existence of favourable conditions for hospitalisation and good mental health for individuals. In fact, the bombardment of health centres prevents patients from receiving proper treatment, and the noise generated by the detonation of weapons causes mental disorders in people suffering from these crises.

 

Infringement of the Right to Development

The right to development is the right to live a decent life. Decency necessarily implies satisfactory living conditions, both socially and economically. However, in countries in crisis, the right to development is severely tested. This can be explained by the precariousness of life and the inaccessibility of working conditions. Extreme poverty makes it impossible to ensure the full and effective enjoyment of human rights.

 

Conclusion

The effective application of human rights in general struggles to be a reality in Africa. Moreover, it is fair to say that the situation is much more glaring in times of war, insofar as this is the breeding ground for the breakdown and non-respect of human rights. This affects the protection of those rights and, above all, the dignity of human beings. To ensure that human rights are fully protected in times of crisis, institutional protection through the courts is essential, as punishing the perpetrators of these violations could act as a deterrent.

Pegdwende Abdul Aziz Nikiema

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