In the 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, Africa has undergone dramatic changes. The decolonization process, and the end of apartheid in South Africa (an era which also started in 1948), have been accompanied by institution-building on a national level and increased respect for the rule of law. Many sub-Saharan African countries now have active civil societies and diverse independent news media. However, despite significant progress, the human rights promised in the Universal Declaration are far from being a reality for all the people of Africa.