The enforcement of restrictive measures and directives to curb COVID-19 transmission has significantly disrupted the operations of human rights defenders. Beyond their usual challenges, pandemic responses in multiple African nations have further constricted civic and democratic spaces—already fragile in the region. In such turbulent times, ensuring defenders retain access to their advocacy and operational activities is paramount.

This analysis examines how COVID-19 restrictions have impacted the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Sierra Leone. It highlights the innovative strategies civil society organisations employed to sustain their work despite coercive measures, as well as positive interventions by states and other stakeholders that facilitated their efforts. The publication also offers actionable recommendations to bolster protections for defenders and preserve civic space during crises.

Serving as a advocacy tool, this research targets national, regional, and international human rights mechanisms to combat the misuse of restrictive measures in crises and uphold the protection of defenders at all times.