The current situation of HRDs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan

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The Chairperson of the EHAHRD-Net undertook an advocacy mission to Washington in June 2008 in order to raise awareness of the current plight of HRDs in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan amongst get decision-makers notably in the State Department and Congress. The mission also sought to ensure that human rights are placed at the heart of future responses to the crises in the region.


EHAHRDP also hoped to encourage key stakeholders to use their influence to push for an end to impunity in the Horn of Africa and for the establishment of independent and impartial accountability mechanisms.  A series of events were organised during the visit notably a roundtable, hosted by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Freedom House, which sought to discuss the issue of impunity in the region and was attended by over 60 individuals from key NGOs and government agencies.

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SOJOUD OMER AHMED ELGARRAI: “How his father’s ordeal made him more determined and committed to the cause.”

“Quite early in my career, when I was working with the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan, I experienced firsthand just how dangerous human rights work can be. Some of my colleagues and I were detained from 8am to 8pm, and we were interrogated for hours before being released. But that ordeal only made me more determined and committed to the cause, and over the years, I have faced repeated threats, intimidation and targeting due to my journalism work and human rights advocacy.”

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