Human rights in Central African Republic (2024)

FAQs

What are the human rights in Central Africa? ›

Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government; forced disappearances by the government; torture by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious abuses in the context of an internal conflict, ...

The Central African Republic remains one of the poorest countries in the world and is grappling with numerous human capital challenges. The latest estimates, which date from 2020, show that roughly 71% of the population is living below the international poverty line ($1.90 per day, in terms of PPP).

Unlawful attacks and killings

Armed conflicts continued to have a devastating effect on civilians in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and elsewhere.

The Central African Republic Civil War is an ongoing civil war in the Central African Republic (CAR) involving the government, rebels from the Séléka coalition, and Anti-balaka militias. Séléka rebel coalition takes power from François Bozizé. Low-level fighting between Ex-Séléka factions and Anti-balaka militias.

According to the report, the five top countries for human rights were Finland (with a grade of 98 or 'A'), Australia (92, 'A-'), Estonia (92, 'A-'), Sweden (92, 'A-'), and Austria (90, 'A-'). The bottom five were Iran (0, 'F'), Syria (6, 'F'), Yemen (8, 'F'), Venezuela (12, 'F'), and Egypt (14, 'F').

Violent crime, such as armed robbery, aggravated battery, and homicide, is common. Armed groups control large areas of the country and they regularly kidnap, injure, and/or kill civilians. In the event of unrest, airport, land border, and road closures may occur with little or no notice.

China, Iran, and Russia, which U.S. officials frequently call out as human-rights abusers, got notably worse. But some U.S. allies, including Israel and Ukraine, were cited for increased reports of human-rights violations, particularly in the treatment of prisoners.

Hunger and malnutrition. Africa is facing a food crisis of unprecedented proportions. Millions are expected to be at risk of worsening hunger in the near future due to conflicts, climate variability and extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns, and the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From that perspective, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights recognizes economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development to have equal legitimacy and legal status with civil and political rights, which are traditionally prioritized in the discourse and practice of human rights.

The Central African Republic is one of the world's least-developed countries, with over 60 percent of its population living in poverty. The country does have some important natural resources, with timber and diamonds dominating exports.

Is the Central African Republic peaceful? ›

The Central African Republic (CAR) has suffered from a cycle of violent coups and wars since gaining independence in 1960. Despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2019 and moderate gains toward stabilization after the 2020 elections, political tensions in CAR have risen amid the 2023 constitutional referendum.

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