Human rights and national security are interdependent and mutually-reinforcing objectives. In other words, human rights must lie at the center of efforts to “preserve the security of African states in line with the Common African Defense and Security Policy and within the spirit of finding African security solutions”. Consistent with the whole-of-government approach, civilians, communities, and civil society organizations, who often bear the brunt of national and regional counterterrorism operations, have a crucial role to play in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. Evidence shows that the engagement of this cross-section of society helps to craft countermeasures that are locally-rooted, resilient, accountable and in alignment with human rights standards.  This paper examines the impact of counterterrorism responses in Africa, highlighting how countries ravaged by terrorism can collaborate with civil society to protect human rights while countering terrorism.

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