The Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Sub-Saharan Africa (CHARM) aims to promote and protect human rights and media freedoms in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kampala, Uganda
Joined November 2023
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How can human rights defenders respond collectively to restrictive laws across Africa?
At the #ACHPR89 NGO Forum, CHARM was highlighted as a vital platform for defenders to connect, share strategies and coordinate action across borders.
#CHARMAfrica #CivicSpace #HRDs
The NGO Forum ahead of #ACHPR89 has opened in Dakar. CHARM partners @DefendDefenders , @CIVICUSalliance and @RfldOrg are participating, advancing shared priorities on defender protection, civic space, independent media and digital rights.
CHARM calls on the ACHPR and African states to protect defenders and journalists, safeguard civic freedoms online and offline, include grassroots voices, respond swiftly to threats and visibly act on civil society recommendations.
Through @DefendDefenders , @CIVICUSalliance and @RfldOrg , CHARM is bringing complementary expertise and regional networks into a stronger collective voice for human rights.
Rights protected. Voices connected. Power shared.
charmafrica.org/
#CHARMAfrica #NGOForum #CivicSpace #HRDs
RT @DefendDefenders: This morning, the management team, led by @Hassan_Shire, met with Katrin Einarsdottir and her colleagues, the new Head…
When reliable information is hard to access, rumours can fill the gap.
On #AccessToInfoDay, CHARM calls for timely public information, independent journalism and access that reaches people in the languages and formats they use.
The right to know strengthens the ability to question, participate and act.
#CHARMAfrica
Who gets seen online? Who gets silenced? And who benefits from the algorithms shaping our digital spaces?
These questions sparked conversation at the Hub Unconference, hosted by Magamba with CHARM’s support during Shoko Festival in Harare this week. Samuel Eibu, IT Security Auditor & Incident Handler at DefendDefenders, joined the “Unruly Algorithms in Africa” panel to explore how digital platforms shape whose voices are heard.
The conversation moved from the panel to practical protection. In a digital safety session, Samuel shared guidance on cleaning metadata and communicating securely so human rights defenders, journalists and other civic actors can better protect sensitive information and sources. At the festival’s Digital Security Clinic, he offered hands-on support to defenders identifying risks and strengthening their online safety.
Through engagements like this one with Magamba and DefendDefenders, CHARM connects conversations about digital rights with practical support, helping those who defend rights shape Africa’s digital future and navigate digital threats more safely.
#CHARMAfrica #DigitalSecurity
A voice does not truly count simply because it is heard. It counts when it can influence decisions.
People cannot participate freely when civic space is restricted, journalists are censored or human rights defenders are targeted.
When every voice counts, democracy delivers.
#InternationalDayOfDemocracy
#CHARMAfrica
In 1994, during the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Cecile Mukanana’s life was violently changed.
She was attacked with machetes and left for dead. Cecile survived, but the attack left her with a severe disability. Long after the violence ended, she continued to live with deep physical and emotional scars. As a woman with disability, she often faced exclusion, abuse, and exploitation. For many years, Cecile did not know where to go, who to speak to, or how to seek help when her rights were violated.
She carried her pain quietly.
But her story did not end there.
Cecile’s life began to change when she joined a support group for persons with disabilities led by a human rights advocate from an organisation supported through a CHARM partner. For the first time, she found a space where she was listened to, accepted, and reminded that her life and dignity mattered.
Through the group, Cecile learned about her rights. She learned where to report abuse, how to seek justice, and that violations against her or her family should not be suffered in silence. What began as awareness became confidence. What began as information became power.
That knowledge became life-changing when Cecile’s granddaughter was raped. This time, Cecile knew what to do. She did not remain silent. She reported to the perpetrators and sought justice for her granddaughter.
“It has taught me where I should go and what direction to take,” Cecile says. “Now, when someone wrongs me, I know where to seek redress.”
Cecile’s story shows the real impact of CHARM’s work: bringing human rights awareness, protection, and support closer to people who are often left behind, including survivors of violence, women, and persons with disabilities. Through CHARM-supported partners, communities are not only learning about rights; they are finding courage, voice, and pathways to justice.
Today, Cecile is no longer only a survivor of violence. She is a woman of courage. A grandmother who stood up for justice. A community member who now knows her rights and can help others find their way.
For Cecile, CHARM-supported awareness changed more than what she knew. It changed what she believed was possible.
It gave her dignity.
It gave her direction.
It gave her the courage to move from silence to action.
Click on the link for the whole story: youtube.com/watch?v=8lxk1cg6…
#VoicesOfChange
#CHARMAfrica
Protecting Indigenous Peoples means protecting their lands, languages, knowledge systems – and the caregivers who sustain them.
This #IndigenousPeoplesDay, we call for stronger legal recognition of Indigenous rights, everywhere.
#HonouringIndigenousMidwives
#IDWIP2026
An equitable Africa is one in which people can access information, opportunity and a meaningful voice in their communities.
This #MandelaDay2026, CHARM celebrates those who inform, protect, connect and serve, and invites everyone to take one constructive action.
#ItIsInOurHands
CHARM Africa retweeted
A fortnight ago, we wrapped up our 7th #SheDefends campaign, and we’re still reflecting on its impact and deeply grateful to everyone who journeyed with us.
Held under the theme “Protecting Her Who Defends: Advancing Justice for WHRDs,” this year’s campaign sought to amplify the voices of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) while advocating for stronger, more accessible, and gender-responsive protection mechanisms.
Thank you to all our followers and networks who engaged with the campaign, liking, retweeting, reposting, sharing, and amplifying the voices of WHRDs across your networks. Your support helped extend these critical conversations far beyond our platforms.
To the WHRDs who courageously shared their stories, reflections, and experiences, thank you for your vulnerability, your strength, and for sparing the time, despite demanding circumstances, to be part of this campaign. Your voices are powerful, and they matter.
Through this campaign, we not only amplified voices but also highlighted the importance of engaging with regional and international legal frameworks (laws and policies). We hope it has encouraged more WHRDs to access and utilise these tools in their work.
Let’s continue to stand with WHRDs all year round, not just in March, supporting, protecting, and amplifying their work as they defend the rights of others.
#SheDefends
Maria Kaddu’s journey into human rights work is rooted in purpose. ⚖️
With a background in law, she found in Consortium for Human Rights and Media (CHARM) a platform to advance gender justice and protect human rights defenders, staying close to the people, the challenges, and the solutions.
She reminds us: behind every defender at risk are people working tirelessly to keep their voices alive.
Read her whole story here: lnkd.in/dEMtaE7j
Democracy does not end at the ballot box; it thrives through daily participation in governance and accountability.
Timothy Chemonges’ efforts to make Parliament accessible to young Ugandans demonstrate the impact of transparent, youth-driven governance. Through civic tech platforms and youth forums, the message is clear: accountability is a democratic right.
In partnership with @MagambaNetwork Timothy has led Open Parly Uganda, fostering conversations on social media platforms such as Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook. These discussions address issues including corruption, information gaps, and shrinking civic spaces, engaging youth nationwide to strengthen democracy.
Learn more about Open Parly Uganda, Timothy’s work with young people, and his experience at the Open Data Summit through this link: lnkd.in/ddZxFhjk
Day 3 in Kigali was all about sustainability & smart funding! Led by CHARM’s Fundraising & Business Development Officer, Spencer Marume. Participants explored global funding trends, resource mobilization strategies, and practical proposal development tips, from qualification matrices to review schedules. The day wrapped with teams crafting their own resource mobilization action plans.
The training is an important initiative in ensuring that our beneficiaries can go for opportunities once they are advertised by donors, and for the sustainability of their projects.
#CHARM #ResourceMobilization #FundingForImpact #CivilSociety
