Mauritania finds itself at a pivotal juncture in the quest to secure housing rights for its population. Four decades after Ordinance No. 83-127 abolished customary ownership and vested all unregistered land in the State, landlessness, informal urban growth, and forced evictions remain acute. The State’s dual land-tenure framework—modern statutory law overlaid on largely unrecognised customary…
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…
This is the third in a three-part interview series with Ephraim Ogwu. Read part one and part two here. Ephraim Ogwu’s journey as an advocate for Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (CDWD) in Africa has been deeply informed by the lessons learned from other African communities facing similar struggles. “Intersectionality in advocacy is crucial,”…
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…
