African Universities Hub for Human Rights Summer School 2025

AUH Summer School Programme 2025

Theme: Sustainability, Innovation and the Future of Defending Human Rights in Africa

Dates: 29 September – 03 October 2025

Venue: University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Background context 

The 2025 summer school comes in the context of continued threats to Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Africa. HRDs, including journalists, activists, scholar-activists, students, face arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment, and other forms of persecution. In countries like Zimbabwe, journalists are detained for their work; in many countries, including Tanzania and Uganda political activists are subjected to repression; while in some, post-election violence in places like Mozambique has led to killings, arrests, and displacement of HRDs (Human Rights Watch, 2024; Kapit, 2024; Scholars at Risk, 2023). HRDs in university campuses also suffer persecution. Scholar activists and student leaders face threats especially where authoritarian regimes tighten their control of academic institutions to restrict freedom of expression (and academic freedom) in authoritarian contexts (Gready & Jackson, 2023). Democratic norms and human rights continue to be undermined in many parts of Africa (Freedom House, 2024), thus indicating both the difficulties that HRDs face and their importance. 

Besides the direct threats to HRDs, other broader contextual issues like armed conflicts, climate change, continue to affect human rights (Amnesty International, 2024; African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 2024). The rights of women also continue to be violated in many countries, e.g. male guardianship policies still hinder women’s mobility (Human Rights Watch, 2024). These challenges are compounded by the shifts in global politics which have led to reduction in international support. That could threaten the financial sustainability of HRD protection mechanisms in Africa and moreso, embolden authoritarian regimes, weaken civil society, and erode the incremental gains realised over the years. HRDs also face long-standing challenges that affect the sustainability of their work, like limited access to digital technologies and the threats advanced through digital tools, burnout, stress and trauma. 

Despite the challenges, HRDs have had successes in some contexts, including successful campaigns for the end of the death penalty in some countries, increased transparency around natural resource governance, among others. Through the Summer School, the African Universities Hub for Human Rights (AUH) will develop HRDs’ skills and knowledge to support them in their roles. HRDs need leadership skills to navigate these uncertain times, capacity to build strong networks for solidarity and support and innovative ways of securing financial support to maintain their work. The 2025 Summer School will focus on the sustainability of human rights advocacy, the innovation needed to maintain effectiveness, and the future of defending democracy in Africa. The theme of summer school is Sustainability, Innovation and the Future of Defending Human Rights in Africa. 

Aims and Objectives:
1. Create a space for defenders of human rights and democracy to reflect, learn, share knowledge and network to expand and strengthen the protection ecosystem.
2. Enhance participants’ human rights knowledge and skills to increase effectiveness.
3. Explore areas and methods of collaboration and cooperation between civil society and universities to advance human rights and democracy in Africa.