By Cheikh Sidati Hamadi, Senior Expert on CDWD Rights (GFoD), Essayist, Research Associate, Specialist in Structural Discrimination The harrowing image of a woman giving birth outdoors in Néma, followed by her horrific death on June 9, 2025, should haunt the conscience of every citizen and policymaker in Mauritania. This was not just a tragic incident—it…
In a historic step for human rights of Communities Discriminated in Work and Descent (CDWD), Mali has officially outlawed slavery by descent through a sweeping reform of its Penal Code. On December 14, 2024, the National Transition Council approved amendments to the Penal Code that explicitly criminalise slavery and related practices, including descent-based slavery—marking a…
Call for Applications: Rights Experts Programme for Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) Who are we: Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), is a platform to voice the rights and entitlements of the communities discriminated on work and descent in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. GFoD…
In the first part, we talked about Ephraim Ogwu’s earliest experiences, how social segregation continues even today, and the lessons he learnt during his journey as a CDWD activist. In the second of the three-part series, he talks about learning from other African communities, the intersectionality in advocacy and the lack of international attention In…
This is the first in a three-part series of articles highlighting the struggles of the Osus of Nigeria based on a detailed interview with Ephraim Ogwu, a CDWD activist who has tirelessly fought for the rights of Osu across Africa. In the first part, Ogwu talks about his earliest experiences, how social segregation continues even…
