Democracy & Social Justice

Wondering why many Nigerians still embark on long and winding journeys through corrupt officials, barbed wire and deadly seas to reach Europe, Adaobi Nwaubani interrogates the role of religious beliefs in peoples' decision to migrate.

The Middle East has become a popular – and notorious – destination, particularly for East Africans. In the face of sharp increases in human trafficking, with young women being lured into exploitation by false promises of employment, Rosebell Kagumire calls on the Ugandan government to adopt an effective and victim-centred approach.

Aly Tandian asks why and how Senegalese embark on long and winding journeys through corrupt officials, barbed wire and deadly seas to reach Europe, untangling a complex web of social, economic and political dynamics at play.

Brazil and Argentina have become part of the ever-changing geography of African migration. Regis Minvielle chronicles the precariousness of African migrants’ lives as the two countries reconsider the generous immigration policies that were created during their boom years.

In Kenya, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking to break new ground. In a clear departure from the humanitarian aid approach of the past, a new initiative aims to promote self-reliance among encamped refugees and local host communities alike. Although supportive of its ideas, Felicity Okoth is quick to identify a number of policy and political obstacles to its implementation.

Morocco is evolving from a sending and transition country into a destination for migrants. Souley Mahamadou Laouali charts the country’s efforts to attract students from sub-Saharan Africa to its institutions of higher education.

Oreva Olakpe looks past newspaper headlines of illegal migration and drug trafficking to investigate the fascinating and elaborate community structures developed by Nigerians living in Guangzhou, China.

The majority of shelters in South Africa are run by npo's that rely heavily on government funding in order to render much needed, very effective crises intervention services to hundreds of thousands of women and their children every year. Yet, the funding they receive from government to deliver this service is minimal and often very restrictive, unlike governments spending on ministers.

Whispering Truth To Power is a new documentary film about the last days of Thuli Madonsela's tenure as South African Public Protector. The film was supported by the Heinrich Boll Foundation.