Spaces for Change (S4C) has raised the alarm about increasing authoritarianism in West African countries.
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At the launch of ‘Civic Space in West Africa: Trends, Threats and Futures’ in Lagos, stakeholders called for collaboration to prevent the rule of law in countries that claim to practice democracy.
Presented by the Executive Director of S4C, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, the report highlighted flashpoints in the civil space of the sub-region.
Furthermore, it explores popular tactics used by governments to silence the opposition and the unscrupulous role of non-state actors in political warming.
The report is in part: “There are five main drivers of future threats to civil space in West Africa: coups, elections, the youth bulge, digital technology and insecurity. Persistent bad governance, combined with widespread anger and political resurgence among the unemployed youth in West African countries, will lead to military coups and more protests in the sub-region. The Internet will empower technology-savvy youth to organize, mobilize and push people’s power through the expansion of space for engagement civil.
“As insecurity increases in the Sahel region, international terrorism will redraw the line between external and internal security, making governments use insecurity as an excuse to curtail civil liberties.”
According to the document, press freedom is under attack in West Africa, signaling a hostile environment for journalists, bloggers, investigative reporters and news media.
Ibezim-Ohaeri added: “Crackdowns on journalists and media outlets are documented in all 16 West African countries, mostly in the form of arrests, detentions, office raids, brutality, confiscation of journalistic equipment, sanctions and fines on broadcast media, anti-media laws designed for press gags, cell phone hacking, and more.
“Free speech is the most at-risk right in the sub-region. Expressing one’s thoughts, especially online, now has greater costs and risks. Internet freedom is also decreasing, coupled with severe consequences and less protection for freedom of speech, while the increasing use of measures -regulatory and legislative measures to censor free speech and content on online platforms are commonly observed in Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia.
Based on these findings, the report recommends free and fair elections in accordance with national and international electoral laws.
Other recommendations include: “Citizens and civil groups must design and propose legal frameworks and digital tools that ensure adequate protection from abuse and censorship, while developing digital skills and access to online resources and networks.
“Civil society organizations (CSOs) must use new methods to collaborate within and across borders, allowing complementarity of skills and increasing bonds of solidarity to expand strategies, results and impact scale.”