In May 2005, in the heart of West Africa, a region seeking justice and dignity, the West African Network of Human Rights Defenders (WANHRD) was born. More than just an organization, it has established itself as a collective voice, a shield, and a space for recognition for those who, often at the risk of their lives, defend fundamental freedoms.
ROADDH spans 16 countries, from the Atlantic coast to the Sahel: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. This geographical coverage reflects the cultural and political mosaic of West Africa. It gives the network regional legitimacy and the capacity for cross-border action, which is essential for responding to common human rights challenges.
Member coalitions are the driving force behind the network. They are concentrated within ECOWAS, a major institutional framework that brings together the majority of the network's member countries and provides a space for political and economic cooperation; the AES (Alliance of Sahel States), which brings together Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger and is a particularly sensitive area where HRDs face complex security contexts, as well as Mauritania.
