Africa has been subject to decades of armed conflicts and human rights violations. Opposing armed groups as well as ethnic and political conflicts have led to large human rights violations in almost all the countries within the Africa continent. Electoral disputes and related developments have led to chaotic situations and to creation of a very discouraging environment for human rights activists (HRDs) and their organizations.
Because of the risk they face, an increasing number of African HRDs have been discouraged or unable to carry out their work in their communities. Some simply stopped human right work, others had to flee and could not return. The absence of HRDs from their home countries is a major loss to their communities, where their role is crucial.
Through, the Dar es Salaam and Benin Shelter Cities, the AHRN addresses part of the problems of HRDs by providing urgent temporary relocation to HRDs at risk in their own region to help them to continue their human rights work during the relocation period, and, on the other hand, by helping them to return to their communities and countries to continue their work.