Renowned human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), is advocating for African governments to prioritize and ensure the full respect of all human rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights within their legal systems. Falana emphasized the need to bridge the gap between political and civil rights and socio-economic rights to promote sustainable development, peace, and a healthy environment.
Speaking at the Public Forum on Law and Freedom of Expression in West Africa, Falana stressed the importance of defending freedom of expression and press freedom in Africa, especially considering the educational limitations hindering many African people from expressing themselves. He highlighted the significance of realizing the right to education as guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to enable citizens to enjoy the freedom of expression.
Falana called for an alliance across workers, women, youths, journalists, lawyers, and other professionals to combat repressive governments in Africa that threaten human rights. He urged the media to educate the public on their socio-economic rights and hold governments accountable for upholding these rights.
It is evident that the defense of human rights should extend beyond political and civil rights to prioritize socio-economic rights in the quest for human rights enforcement. Governments must respect freedom of expression and press freedom to ensure transparency and public accountability. Challenges such as restrictive laws and online defamation need to be addressed through legal means to safeguard these fundamental rights.