abuse

Namibia’s children exposed: online life and the quiet rise of digital harm Snapshot of a hidden crisis A new study has lifted the lid on a worrying trend in Namibia: an estimated 20,000 children are exposed to online sexual exploitation and abuse every year, according to research published by the Disrupting Harm project. The study, which maps technology‑facilitated abuse of children, also finds that roughly 80 percent of Namibians aged 12 to 17 use the internet — primarily for schoolwork and social media — creating both…

Somalia moves to prosecute alleged child abuse filmed for social media; court orders detention Somalia’s top prosecutor has referred a high-profile child abuse case to a Mogadishu court after a video circulated online allegedly showing a man burying a young child alive. The Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday the Banadir Regional Court has reviewed preliminary evidence and ordered the defendant, identified as Ali Abdi Sheikh Khadar — known locally by the nickname “Dhegadiish” — into temporary detention while…

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican Primate of Southern Africa, has issued a cautionary note suggesting that we may see an uptick in reports of misconduct involving church officials, especially following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby's departure came on the heels of an investigation that unveiled his failure to report allegations of abuse perpetrated by John Smyth—a barrister, educator, and director of Christian camps—during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Smyth was a prominent figure…

In a groundbreaking moment for New Zealand, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has issued a heartfelt apology to individuals who suffered abuse while under state care. This acknowledgment of the "unimaginable pain" experienced in child welfare homes and psychiatric facilities marks a significant step towards reckoning with a dark chapter in the nation’s history. The recent public inquiry revealed that approximately 200,000 vulnerable New Zealanders faced abuse throughout various decades of state care, labeling these findings…

The Catholic Church is facing an urgent call to unify its policies regarding compensation for victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy, according to the inaugural report from the Vatican's child protection commission. For years, the institution has grappled with widespread scandals and disheartening revelations concerning sexual misconduct by its clergy members and the subsequent attempts to cover it up. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors asserted, “Acknowledging and compensating victims is a…

In a significant gathering at the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 26, 2024, in Geneva, delegates from various nations convened to deliberate on pressing global human rights dilemmas. Amidst this backdrop, Kenya's election to the council for the 2025–2027 tenure stirred the pot, faced with heavy criticisms from civil society groups due to alleged human rights transgressions. Photo by Janine Schmitz/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images NAIROBI, Kenya (AX) — Kenya's leap onto the United Nations Human Rights Council…

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on an Eritrean official it accused of being involved in serious human rights violations in the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where thousands of people have been killed and more 2 million displaced people.…

According to the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The Humanitarian, no less than 70 women, mostly housekeepers, were forced to sleep with those responsible for the response in Beni and Butembo. The first cases were convicted in September last year in Beni. Today, it is in Butembo that the two media gathered testimonies about the same type of abuse. Several organizations, especially international ones,…

Human Rights Watch has published a new report in which it points out that at least eight bloggers who mainly broadcast their production via the Youtube platform have been threatened, arrested or even prosecuted for a year. A poet has also been missing since February last year after being critical. The American NGO Human Rights…

Eritrea will withdraw its troops from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Friday, a potential breakthrough in a protracted conflict that has seen atrocities against civilians. The announcement comes as Abiy, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019, faces increasing pressure to end fighting in which both Eritrean and Ethiopian troops are accused of abuses, including mass murder and rape. Abiy sent troops to Tigray on November 4 after blaming the region's once dominant ruling…