Living in Darkness: the Reality of Everyday Life under Russian Invasion

Satellite images of power usage in Ukraine in January and November of 2022, respectively. AUTHOR: Sara. B. Gero What has been happening in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022?The invasion of Ukraine started in February of 2022 when Russian forces crossed the border from Belarus and made their way towards the capital, Kyiv. Since then, violations …

Internet Shutdowns and Human Rights: a Look at East Africa

AUTHOR: Beverly Mtui Internet connectivity has become a powerful mechanism for connecting people across theworld, especially in mobilising and taking action against inequality and human rightsviolations. While many struggles are rooted in local challenges, digital technologies andtools, with the internet and social media at forefront positions, enable people to connectacross borders to tackle them with a global force. This enables …

Sudanese Bloodshed: The Human Cost of the War

AUTHOR: Eleonore Dlugosz Donnen “For the people of Sudan, nowhere is safe.”Amnesty International Sudan is, regrettably, invoked whenever violation of human rights is mentioned, so it is necessary to use this blog to shed light on unfolding realities of this devastating conflict. Since 2023, the East African state has been plunged into an armed crisis between the Sudanese Armed Forces …

In the Absence of Institutions: The Fight of Psychologist Imrana Imdad in Balochistan

AUTHOR: Eleonore Donnen “I urgently need support to build a safe space with proper facilities for these vulnerable women and girls.”Imrana Imdad I had the opportunity to speak with Imrana Imdad, a clinical psychologist from Balochistan, Pakistan. She works actively with local organisations to support survivors of gender-based violence, people affected by conflict, and mental health issues. I met her …

Systemic Oppression in 21st Century Europe: the Segregation of Roma

AUTHOR: Sara B. Gero Europe often presents itself internationally as a place of equality, equity and human rights, yet the situation of the Roma tells a different tale. The Roma represent between 10 and 12 million of the European population, with the most significant populations being in central and eastern Europe. They have faced centuries of genocide, slavery, discrimination and …

Nowhere to Belong: The Rohingya’s Struggle Against Ethnic Cleansing

AUTHOR: Muriëlle van Hagen Dozens of Rohingya villages in Myanmar were surrounded and set on fire, in August 2017. People were shot, tortured, raped, or burned alive, leaving behind only corpses and ash. This was all part of an ethnic cleansing campaign by Myanmar’s military, in an attempt to permanently erase the Rohingya community from the country—causing over 740,000 to …

The Ottawa Convention Losing support; the Dangers and Threats of Anti-Personnel Mines.

AUTHOR: Jessica Giovanella On the 8th of May, 2025, the Lithuanian Parliament voted in favour of the recent decision to leave the Ottawa Convention, a convention banning anti-personnel mines. Lithuania is not an isolated case, as Finland also started withdrawing from the Convention in April 2025. Those withdrawals seem to follow a global trend. Indeed, the defence ministers of Lithuania, …

Iran’s Never-Ending Fight for Women’s Rights

AUTHOR: Inês Alves Tomé For over 40 years, Iran has been suffering from gender apartheid. During this time, the Iranian government has been implementing a regime in which some parts of the population, in particular women, are discriminated against and extremely excluded from participating in normal society. Unfortunately, this discrimination which Iranian women face on a daily basis is still …