The African Secretariat of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) has announced the launch of the “African Human Rights Spoken Word Contest (Third Edition),” a platform designed to harness the power of spoken word artistry to address pressing human rights issues across the African continent.
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The contest, which welcomes entries from anywhere in the world, provided they address human rights issues in Africa, aims to bring together poets, artists, and activists to creatively express their perspectives on critical matters, including social justice, climate change, women’s empowerment, immigration, human trafficking, police brutality, and violence against women.
According to the organisers, the initiative seeks to amplify the voices of those often marginalised and unheard in an era where dialogue and advocacy hold the key to positive change. Through the art of spoken word, participants will have the opportunity to shed light on the urgent need for social justice, a sustainable environment, and equal rights for women.
Competition Format and Requirements
Participants are required to submit a captivating 1-minute video where they passionately recite a unique and artistic poem crafted by themselves. The submissions must demonstrate the potent utilisation of spoken language as a catalyst for the advancement and bolstering of human rights across the African continent.
The contest guidelines specify that entries must be uploaded as one-minute videos of not less than 20MB, with only one video permitted per entrant. Participants can explore various human rights themes, including freedom of expression, government violations, police brutality, corruption, forced eviction, terrorism, gender inequality, LGBT rights, child labour, child marriage, domestic violence, violence and discrimination against women, child abuse, female genital mutilation, and ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination, among others.
Technical Specifications and Submission Rules
The organisers have established detailed technical requirements for submissions. Videos must be recorded in quiet locations without music or background noise, with stable cameras and no other persons visible. The content must be artistic, original, and creative, with no graphics, text, or captions added. Participants are encouraged to film in landscape mode and may perform their poems in sign language if needed.
All submissions must be new and original pieces of work that have not been previously published or used for commercial purposes. The contest strongly encourages diverse, untraditional, and unheard voices to participate.
Prizes and Recognition
The competition offers substantial monetary rewards with a first prize of $100, a second prize of $75, and a third prize of $50, plus five honourable mentions. All entrants will receive Certificates of Participation, while shortlisted contestants will be awarded Certificates of Excellence.
The selected winning works will take centre stage at the International Human Rights Art Festival, scheduled to unfold between December 8th and 14th, 2025. Winners will be announced on November 25th, 2025.
Submission Process and Deadline
Participants must submit their entries to wole@humanrightsartmovement.org with a copy to ihrafafrica@humanrightsartmovement.org. The email title should be addressed as “AFRICAN HUMAN SPOKEN WORDS CONTEST 3.0.”
Alongside their video submissions, entrants must provide personal information, including name, age, gender, country, address, phone number, where they heard about the contest, a short profile about themselves, and their school or university, if applicable.
The deadline for all submissions is October 31st, 2025, and the organisers will contact all participants once the judging process concludes.
Legal and Rights Considerations
The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) reserves significant rights over submissions. All entrants agree to offer IHRAF first-world rights, with the right to upload selected videos on its media and streaming platforms. The organisation retains the right to withdraw and reclaim the financial value of the contest if it discovers that a spoken word artist has fabricated any information in their submission.
Any signs of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification, and participants are responsible for ensuring their submissions meet all contest eligibility requirements. By entering, contestants confirm their work is original and that they have read and agreed to all conditions of entry. The organisers’ decision is final in all matters.
About the Initiative
The African Human Rights Spoken Word Contest is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA, aimed at promoting and supporting the realisation of human rights in Africa. The contest serves as a powerful catalyst for awareness, empathy, and action, encouraging participants to delve into multifaceted human rights issues and inspire others to do the same.
For more enquiries, interested participants can contact Wole Adedoyin at +2348072673852 or woleadedoyin@gmail.com.
The African Human Rights Spoken Word Contest is expected to unleash a wave of creative expression, advocacy, and solidarity across the African continent, contributing to what organisers describe as a vital dialogue toward building a more just, equitable, and compassionate future.
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