​During the 19th and early 20th centuries, men in the UK had the right to vote, but women did not. There was no reasonable justification for this, which led to widespread revolt and disbelief among many women, including Queen Victoria, who called the fight for women’s rights a “mad, wicked folly”—despite being a powerful woman herself!

As a result, many women began campaigning for women's rights, focusing primarily on the right to vote. This movement became known as the suffragist movement. There were two main groups that protested for women’s suffrage: the suffragettes and the suffragists. These groups had distinct approaches and tactics for drawing attention to the cause.

The suffragists, led by Millicent Garrett Fawcett, were more focused on gaining the vote for middle-class, property-owning women and believed in peaceful protest. Fawcett believed that if the organization was thoughtful, intelligent, and law-abiding, they would win the respect of Parliament and, over time, be granted the vote, rather than using radical tactics.

On the other hand, the suffragettes, led by Emmeline Pankhurst, had a different approach to protesting. Pankhurst, a former member of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) and a staunch supporter of women’s suffrage, grew frustrated with the suffragists’ methods. She established the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), which was more inclusive and welcoming of women from all backgrounds. From 1905 onwards, their campaigns became increasingly aggressive. Their motto, "Deeds Not Words," reflected their radical approach, which included breaking windows, planting bombs, handcuffing themselves to railings, and going on hunger strikes—all in the pursuit of women’s right to vote.

The suffragettes were so determined to bring about change that many were arrested for their law-breaking actions and ended up in prison. While in prison, they went on hunger strikes, and to prevent any suffragette deaths, Parliament introduced the “Cat and Mouse” Act. This act allowed hunger-strikers to be temporarily released from prison until they recovered, at which point they would return to protests before being re-arrested. In 1913, suffragette Emily Wilding Davison tragically died after being trampled by the King’s racehorse. While it is unclear exactly what she intended to do, it is believed she was trying to pin a suffragette banner to the King’s horse, once again fighting for women’s rights.

During World War I, both Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett temporarily halted their campaigning and encouraged women to join the war effort in the spirit of national unity. The war itself was a pivotal moment in changing women’s roles in society. Prior to WWI, women's roles were largely confined to the home, where they were expected to cook, clean, raise children, and manage the household. However, as millions of men went off to war, many women were given the opportunity to work in industries, including dangerous munitions factories where they made weapons for the war effort. This shift demonstrated that women were capable of doing work outside of the home, which led to increased trust and respect for women in society.
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Finally, in 1918, the efforts of women were rewarded. A bill was passed through Parliament granting women the right to vote, though with some restrictions: they had to be over the age of 30, own property, or be married to someone who owned property. Nonetheless, it was a monumental victory for women, as it granted 8.4 million women the right to vote.

In a BBC interview on Thursday, Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye declared that Rwanda was planning to invade Burundi, based on what he described as “credible intelligence.” He claimed that Rwandan President Paul Kagame was backing rebel movements such as Red Tabara to destabilize Burundi—similar to how Rwanda is accused of supporting the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Ndayishimiye also linked Rwanda to a 2015 coup attempt in Burundi, alleging that Kigali had provided the plotters with weapons, training, and funding.

Rwanda dismissed the allegations as “surprising” and baseless. Officials in Kigali pointed to ongoing cooperation between the two countries’ border forces and accused Burundi of making provocative and unfounded assertions. Rwanda has consistently denied any ties to Red Tabara or involvement in past or current rebel activity.

These accusations come amid rising regional tensions, particularly in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels—reportedly backed by Rwanda—have seized large areas, triggering international alarm. Burundi has recently deployed troops to the DRC to fight M23, placing Burundian and Rwandan forces on opposing sides in a dangerous and volatile conflict.

Although both nations are members of the East African Community, relations remain tense. The Burundi–Rwanda border has been closed since 2024, and regional analysts warn that even a minor escalation could spark a broader regional war.

Tensions increased last month when two Burundian security personnel were killed near the border with eastern DRC. President Ndayishimiye reiterated that Burundi prefers dialogue but warned his country “will never remain with folded arms in the case of an attack.”
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The international community has called for de-escalation and renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent the spread of violence across central Africa.

On March 24, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on four individuals linked to human rights violations during Sri Lanka’s civil war, which ended in 2009. The sanctions target three former senior Sri Lankan military commanders—Shavendra Silva, Wasantha Karannagoda, and Jagath Jayasuriya—as well as Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman, a former commander in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). These measures include travel bans to the UK and asset freezes.

The 26-year conflict between Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil separatists resulted in an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 deaths. Both sides have faced accusations of serious human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and sexual violence. A 2011 United Nations panel reported “credible allegations” of such violations, some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite these findings, Sri Lanka has consistently denied wrongdoing and has refused to cooperate with international investigators.

The UK’s decision aligns with broader international efforts to address human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. In January 2023, Canada sanctioned former Sri Lankan presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with two former soldiers, for their roles in “gross and systematic violations of human rights” during the civil war.

Human rights organizations have long advocated for such measures. The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has submitted over 60 sanctions requests targeting Sri Lankan officials and security personnel implicated in human rights violations during and after the conflict. These submissions have been directed to governments including the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and the European Union.

British Foreign Minister David Lammy emphasized the UK’s commitment to human rights in Sri Lanka and the pursuit of accountability for past violations, stating that these issues continue to impact communities today.
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These sanctions represent a significant step in international efforts to hold individuals accountable for human rights abuses committed during Sri Lanka’s protracted civil conflict.