The African Human Rights Poetry Competition, organised by the African Secretariat of the International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM), has concluded its entry phase with remarkable success.
The competition, which aimed to spotlight pressing human rights issues through the medium of poetry, received a total of 350 entries from poets across 25 countries.
According to Wole Adedoyin, the Coordinator of the competition and the Director of IHRAM in Africa, the competition drew submissions from across Africa and beyond, including Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Egypt, Botswana, Malawi, Madagascar, and Tunisia. Additional entries came from nations outside the continent such as Thailand, India, Canada, Jamaica, the United States of America, and others, highlighting the global appeal of the initiative and the universal nature of human rights advocacy.
Each poem submitted engaged with critical human rights themes including freedom, justice, democracy, gender equality, child rights, environmental protection, and social inclusion.
The competition provided a platform for writers—both emerging and established—to reflect, challenge, and advocate through creative expression. It affirmed the vital role that art, especially poetry, plays in shaping public discourse and raising awareness on key societal issues.
The process of compiling and reviewing the entries was rigorous, given the volume and diversity of the submissions. Every entry was carefully catalogued, and participants were duly acknowledged with confirmation and appreciation messages.
As a gesture of recognition and encouragement, every participating poet has been issued a Certificate of Participation. The certificates serve as tokens of gratitude for their creative effort and dedication to promoting human rights through poetry. This initiative is part of IHRAM’s broader mission to engage artists in global human rights education and advocacy.
With the entry phase concluded, the competition now moves into the next exciting stage—longlisting. The longlist will feature standout poems that will proceed to the next round of evaluation for possible inclusion in an anthology and for final prize consideration.
IHRAM expresses heartfelt thanks to all the poets who submitted their work. Their courage to speak truth to power, address injustice, and give voice to the voiceless through their art is commendable.
This competition has proven that poetry remains a powerful tool for social change and a mirror of the human condition.
Looking ahead, IHRAM plans to publish a special anthology featuring the best entries from the competition. This publication will serve as a lasting testimony to the resilience, creativity, and advocacy of African and global poets in the fight for human rights. It will also be part of IHRAM’s contribution to literary and civic engagement across the continent and beyond.
The African Human Rights Poetry Competition is more than a literary contest—it is a movement, a platform, and a call to action. Through poetic voices from twenty-five countries, IHRAM continues to amplify the stories that matter and foster a culture of dignity, equity, and justice for all.
