The 2017 human rights report for ethiopia reflects serious challenges to the ethiopian peoples ability to exercise their basic rights last year. Human trafficking was affecting a number of individuals in ethiopia that resulted in various health problems and human right violations. Domestic worker migration from ethiopia to the middle east. Voicing concern over serious human rights violations in the oromia and amhara regions of ethiopia earlier this month, the united nations human rights chief today urged the government to ensure access for independent observers to affected areas and to work towards opening up political and democratic reforms. The african commission on human and peoples rights achpr, the regions top human rights body, has called for the forced relocation of thousands of tribal people in ethiopia to be halted, and has raised concerns over the denial of rights of botswanas bushmen the commission urged ethiopia to stop the forced resettlement of the lower omo valley tribes to make way for vast plantations. Addis abeba, june 092017 human rights council hrco ethiopia, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, has released 49 pages of report detailing widespread human right abuses committed by the security under the current state of emergency, first declared on oct. It reflects investigative work that human rights watch staff undertook in 2015, usually in. Ethiopia the second most populous country in africa is a oneparty state with a planned economy. Ethiopias stateaffiliated human rights commission says 669 people died, including 63 policemen, in the wave of antigovernment protests that began in november 2015. World report 2016 summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide.
Notwithstanding the ongoing state of emergency, about which we have already expressed. But a strategy of quiet diplomacy is increasingly limited as ethiopias human rights situation declines and its heavyhanded response to the largely peaceful protests is fueling more anger and frustration. The second most populous country in subsaharan africa, ethiopias economy has experienced strong growth over the past decade, though its impact on poverty reduction is limited. Ethiopia restores the internet but digital censorship. The preparation and implementation of human rights action plan plays an internationally recognized role to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights at a national level in a structured and comprehensive manner. People demonstrate during a declared state of emergency in bishoftu, ethiopia, on oct. Ethiopian security forces crackeddown on these largely. National human rights action plan ii 20162020 aims to promote human rights in line with ethiopias second growth and transformation plan.
Association of human rights in ethiopia ahre has gathered testimonies of torture and other inhuman and illegal treatments of prisoners in detention centres, prisons, military camps, and other undisclosed areas. In october 2017 the ethiopian human rights commission ehrc, a government human rights body, issued a report on its investigation following formal complaints from inmates that prison officials and police officers committed human rights violations, including torture, at the shoa robit federal prison between september and november 2016. Voicing concern over serious human rights violations in the oromia and amhara regions of ethiopia earlier this month, the united nations human rights chief. The government of ethiopia on its part should investigate the ehrcs past failures and guarantee nonrepetition, in order to catalyse its transformation into a true human rights institution. External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained. Immunity of a head of a state not party to the icc rome statute human rights law, august 2016. For example, human rights and human security, voice and autonomy, collective capabilities and the interdependence of choices are key for the human development of those currently left out.
Freedom in the world methodology the methodology, which is derived from the universal declaration of human rights, is applied to all countries and territories, irrespective of geographic location, ethnic or religious composition, or level of economic development. Department of states human rights report for 2004 and similar sources. A caseoriented study of its practice gender equality, womens rights, and environmental sustainability the case of climate change. Since 2015 there have been wideranging internet shutdowns in. Addis ababa, ethiopia, and rockville, maryland, usa. Democracy, human rights, and governance ethiopia u. The state of emergency authorizes the military to enforce security nationwide. With brief presentations of the international human rights legal framework and international mechanisms which. The internal mechanisms used to investigate abuses by federal police were not known. Exploring the role of networks in domestic worker migration from ethiopia to the middle east. Oromia beginning in november 2015, and in the amhara region from july 2016.
Joint ngo letter addressing the pervasive human rights. When the ethiopian peoples revolutionary democratic front eprdf took control of the capital. It also imposes restrictions on freedom of speech and access to information. But human rights campaigners argue that ethiopia is not a model of democracy that should be rewarded with a presidential visit. Amnesty international report 201617 ix preface the amnesty international report 201617 documents the state of the worlds human rights during 2016.
The government continued to support human rights training for police and army personnel. Ethiopia correspondent, described the issue on facebook in march 2016. Human rights abuses committed by the ethiopian army in different parts of ethiopia. Includes creating detailed manuals on crime investigation, improving the ability of civil society organizations to secure local funding, and combating both domestic and international trafficking in persons. Unfpa ethiopia unfpa united nations population fund. The government of ethiopia acknowledged that more than 11,000 people have been arrested between the. Nearly one year on from the start of a wave of protests that has left at least 800 people dead at the hands of security forces, the ethiopian government must take concrete steps to address grave human rights concerns in the country, amnesty international said today. Alfashqa returns to sudanese sovereignty after agreement.
The human rights handbook for parliamentarians is based on the conviction that parliaments and their members can play a key role in delivering concretely on human rights. The ethiopian human rights establishment proclamation 2102000. Eritrea focus is an association of nongovernmental organisations ngos, human rights organisations, exile and refugee groups and individuals concerned with the gross abuses of human rights in eritrea. A state of emergency was declared on sunday, october 9, 2016 by ethiopian prime minister hailemariam desalegn, although the state of emergency reportedly took effect on saturday, october 8, 2016. For example, in 2016 the ethiopian human rights commission ehrc visited a prison cell in shoa robit federal prison and found that its two small windows. Other topics addressed included human rights concerns, regional security, economic development, ethiopia relations with neighboring countries, and the u. It is a joint initiative of the ipu and the office of the united nations high commissioner for human rights. In 2016, ethiopia was the top recipient of oda in africamore than four billion usd. From subsaharan africa, ethiopia is compared with rwanda and uganda, which have. The foreword, five regional overviews and a survey of 159 countries and territories bear witness to the suffering endured by many, whether it be. Human rights council ethiopia ethiopian human rights. Click here for full content to download in pdf omrho presents the state of human rights in ethiopia. Top human rights watchdog investigates ethiopia and. In their 2016 and 2017 reports into sustained protests in parts of ethiopia.
Ethiopias human development index score has steadily increased over the past decade, but its participation and human rights score has remained stagnant. Network for digital rights in ethiopia building the. Civil society groups urge international investigation into ongoing human rights violations. For more than a decade before 2016, gdp grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually one of the fastest growing states among the 188 imf member countries. In ethiopia in 2015 there were continuing government crackdowns on opposition political party members, journalists, and peaceful protesters. This is the second part of torture accounts of prisoners in ethiopias prisons. Evidence of social media blocking and internet censorship in ethiopia. After a year of protests, time to address grave human rights concerns. On ethiopias perpetual state ofemergency foreign elements. Eritrea is a oneparty state in which national legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed, the judiciary is weak, and constitutional provisions protecting individual freedom have yet to be. In similar parlance with the ombudsman proclamation, article 261 of the ethiopian human rights establishment proclamation provides that the human rights commission shall make all the effort it can summon to settle a complaint brought before it amicably. The state of emergency as justification of human rights. Though the pushing and pulling factors of human trafficking were identified qualitatively, their effect on trafficking status were not measured quantitatively. While election of new leadership of the ruling party has brought forth a surge of optimism in most quarters that democratic space will expand, stability is still fragile as ethnic and identitybased conflict prevails.
On june 10, the governmentestablished ethiopian human rights commission reported to parliament on the protests, stating it confirmed 173 deaths in oromia, including 28 security force members and officials, and asserted security forces used appropriate force there. Release of the 2017 human rights report for ethiopia u. Addis abeba, june 172019 ethiopian human rights commission ehrc must be reformed to enable it to contribute to the country making a break with its repressive past while promoting access to justice for victims of human rights violations, amnesty international said today, as it released a new briefing examining the investigation reports the commission published primarily between 2016. Human rights in eritrea are viewed by certain nongovernmental organisations ngos such as human rights watch as among the worst in the world, particularly with regards to freedom of the press. The state of emergency is serving as an excellent shield for the government to kill, arrest and detain whoever is involved in any antigovernment activities. Needs urgent independent international investigation. In october, 2016 many ethiopians protested against the government after they prohibit use. Download the human rights law working group committee newsletter.
Human rights and governance in ethiopia the assistant secretary of state for african affairs, foreign policy experts, and ethiopian community leaders testified may 10, 2016. The guideline is developed for journalists and human rights defenders and is prepared in three languages. We believe there is reason for optimism that the 2018 human rights report will tell a different story, one of progress. Human rights watchs ethiopia and eritrea researcher, mr. Active in the country since 1973, unfpa supports efforts to increase access to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning and emergency obstetric care. Atnafu brhane, digital security trainer, program director at card and vicechair of network for digital rights in ethiopia has published digital security guideline. Ethiopia,somaliland military officials discuss covdi19 prevention. The human rights commission of ethiopia and issues of forced evictions. From october 2016 to august 2017, in response to protests in the. End use of counterterrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members. Ethiopian human rights commission must be reformed. It continued to accept assistance from ngos and the ehrc to improve and professionalize its human rights training and curriculum by including more material on the constitution.