Individual and Collective Rights in Africa

This work examines the relationships between various groups of human rights and the effect of globalization and of the state on human rights protection. Two hypotheses are examined in path analysis of fifty-two African countries. The first hypothesis considers the proposition that economic, social, and cultural rights implemented prior to civil and political rights in Africa meet the needs of the population better than the primary implementation of civil and political rights. The second hypothesis states that globalization has a negative effect on protection of all human rights and that its impact on rights is generally larger than the impact of the state. Within the context of a multivariate model, my analysis does not support either hypothesis. These findings are discussed with regard to the existing literature and possible future research.