Paper short abstract:

The Shock waves and disruptions by Covid-19 is global. In Africa, governments especially local stakeholders are still in huge shock due to disruptions by Covid-19 pandemic. This paper analyses new human rights issues precipitated by Covid-19 and how African authorities have responded to them.

Paper long abstract:

For over two years now, governments, non-governmental organizations, international institutions and the entire global public have come to realize that Covid-19 is the most severe disruption the world has experienced in recent memory. Although the record of Covid-19 incidents and fatalities is comparatively low in Africa than other regions of the world, the pandemic has profoundly altered the economic, socio-political and legal conditions of African States as in the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the full extent of these disruptions is still difficult to foresee, especially with the announcements of subsequent waves of the pandemic. The situation has impacted negatively on nations' economies, overwhelming the health-care, soci-political and legal systems, precipitating human rights challenges in every front, particularly in Africa. This paper sets to examine the socio-economic and governance fallout in Africa due to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and its threats to humans, human rights and fundamental freedoms in the region. The work finds that the disruptions by Covid-19 pandemic have been exacerbated by fragile systems of governance, weak economy, corruption and abusive culture of security institutions in the guise of maintenance of law and order in Africa. This ultimately occasioned extreme injustice, inequality, insecurity and human rights abuses due to poor responses by relevant authorities. The paper argued on the imperative of effective legal and governance approach by authorities in Africa while responding to emergency and crisis situations as in the case of Covid-19, and other global pandemics like Ebola. It thereafter, concluded with useful recommendations.