Konan Yao Hubert
Konan Yao Hubert is a student, journalist and blogger based in Abidjan. Upon learning that the residents of N'da-kouassikro, his home village in the sub-prefecture of Djékanou, had not been informed of their rights concerning a planned gold mine, he began focusing his advocacy efforts in the region. He now works with the community to sensitise them to their rights and to teach them about how to defend those rights peacefully through advocacy with authorities, including by writing and sending petitions.
In July 2014, President Alassane Ouattara promulgated the continent's first human rights defender law, putting the country squarely at the forefront of protection of human rights defenders - at least on paper. Since then, however, the law remains largely dormant, while human rights defenders continue to face challenges and threats to their work.
