Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria’s Post

[Invitation to Memorial Lecture] The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria cordially invites you to the second Christof Heyns Human Rights Memorial Lecture. Drawing on Christof’s sense of inclusion and collaboration, a panel will collectively deliver the ‘Lecture’. This year’s lecture traces the developments in law and practice ‘Towards the complete abolition of the death penalty in Africa’. Keynote Speaker 🎙 Justice Dumisa Ntsebeza, Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Advocate (South Africa) Speakers  🎙 Honourable Edwin Mushoriwa Member of Parliament of Dzivarasekwa (Zimbabwe) 🎙 Mr. Martin Dingake Legal Advisor and Judicial Service Commissioner, Botswana Centre for Human Rights, Ditswanelo (Botswana) 🎙 Ms. Nokukhanya (Khanyo) Farisè Deputy Regional Director (Research) for Southern Africa, Southern Africa Regional Office, Amnesty International RSVP Online: https://lnkd.in/dKbb8EFW

[Commemorating World Refugee Day 2024] On 20 June 2024, the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria commemorated #WorldRefugeeDay by hosting a community leaders’ dialogue at the Southern Sun Hotel, Johannesburg. In line with the theme of #WorldRefugeeDay for the year 2024, ‘solidarity with refugees’, the event was organised to enhance the role of community leaders in promoting solidarity with refugees. A total of 37 participants drawn from refugee and other migrant organisations and refugee host communities attended the event. The dialogue underscored the reasons why community leaders should use their influence in their communities to prevent xenophobic discrimination and violence. One of the main reasons was that community leaders’ indifference and lack of active involvement in the face of xenophobic discrimination and violence in their communities perpetuated xenophobia. In contrast, when community leaders actively promote solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants (migrants), they discourage members of their communities from engaging in xenophobic discrimination and violence. The key insights from the community dialogue include the following: 🏳 Although socio-economic inequality may in some instances contribute to the incidence of xenophobic discrimination and violence, it is the political mobilisation of xenophobia that plays a key role in the incidence of xenophobic violence. It was highlighted that socio-economic inequality does not justify xenophobic violence and discrimination. 🏳 Extensive and coordinated efforts should be exerted to break the cycle of xenophobic violence. This includes engaging community leaders and public figures and leveraging their influential position to strengthen solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. 🏳 Capacity building initiatives are necessary to enhance the role of community leaders in maintaining harmonious communities by instilling the spirit of Ubuntu into their communities, dispelling anti-migrant stereotypes, and intervening to stop xenophobic violence. The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, through its Migrants’ Rights Unit, will continue to advocate for the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and all migrants, and for solidarity with them and the host communities. The dialogue was made possible through the financial support of the European Union Delegation in South Africa. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dYJR7huP

JUST RELEASED: We stand in solidarity with the people of Mossville, Louisiana, USA, suffering from South African company Sasol’s industrial pollution including cancer causing ethylene oxide emissions. Time for Sasol to offer a fair and equitable buyout. We join South African civil society organisations across the environmental, education, human rights, and labour sectors in solidarity with the people of Mossville, Louisiana, USA. Read the solidarity letter to learn more about Sasol’s destruction of the Mossville community. Mossville Relocation South African company Sasol made Mossville unlivable for many residents due to the dangerous emissions from its Lake Charles facilities. It’s time for Sasol to conduct an equitable property buyout for remaining Mossville residents who are interested in relocation. South African connection As South Africans, we are familiar with Sasol’s mistreatment of the people and communities that live near its facilities. In solidarity with the people of Mossville, Louisiana, USA who wish to relocate, we demand that Sasol conduct an equitable buyout of their homes. Just as it’s impacting the wellbeing of the people of Mossville, Louisiana, USA, Sasol’s Secunda facility releases toxic pollutants, estimated to be responsible for 17% of hospital admissions in Mpumalanga Province and as many as 72 deaths every year. Emissions from Sasol facilities contribute to the Vaal Triangle being the “most polluted place on Earth.” Sasol’s consequences on environmental and human rights know no borders. Our solidarity extends from South African communities facing major health and livelihood impacts of Sasol facilities to the community in Mossville, Louisiana, USA experiencing the same consequences. Signed, Centre for Applied Legal Studies Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria Diocese of Mzimvubu Legal Resources Centre Natural Justice Oxfam South Africa OZA Sekhukhune Environmental Justice Network The Green Connection The Movement for Debt and Reparations Tyinirha Rural Development and Advice Centre Read the solidarity letter here: https://lnkd.in/dFwWKRsW

[Alumna Spotlight] The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria is thrilled to congratulate Abiola Idowu-Ojo on her well-deserved appointment as the Executive Secretary at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights’. She has been serving as the Commission’s Acting Executive Secretary since August 2023. Abiola studied towards a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa #HRDA at the Centre in 2003. Upon completion of this degree, Abiola was selected from among the year’s graduates, to undertake an ‘internship’ as a Legal Expert with the Commission in Banjul, The Gambia. Initially planned for a year, Abiola’s term was prolonged to last around two years. After a stint in private practice, she returned to the Commission as Senior Legal Researcher. She also for a number of years served as the Commission’s Acting Deputy Executive Secretary. “It is deeply reassuring that, at this time of international pushback against the rights agenda and ongoing reform processes within the African Union, a person of the experience, wisdom and compassion of Abiola Idowu-Ojo, has been entrusted to serve at the helm of Africa’s primary human rights watchdog”, commented the HRDA Programme Director, Professor Frans Viljoen.'' The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria wishes Abiola continued success and expresses confidence that the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights will excel with her as its Executive Secretary. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g2Vwbitm

Advancing children’s rights in Africa The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, in partnership with the CENTRE FOR CHILD LAW both at the University Of Pretoria, Faculty of Law and Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) Cape hosted the annual Advanced Human Rights Course on Children’s Rights in Africa from 17 to 21 June 2024. This year, the course was also supported by the Global Campus of Human Rights. The course aims to build the technical capacity of professionals whose work directly or indirectly affects the lives of children across the African continent so that they are equipped with the knowledge and practical skills to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of children’s rights in Africa. This year’s course attracted diverse professionals, including members of the judiciary, employees of international and regional organisations, social workers, government officials, employees of civil society organisations, employees of national human rights institutions, legal practitioners and academics. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dUa4Hrsw

[Happening Now] The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria in collaboration with African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and Coalition for an Effective African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights are convening a conference on the implementation and domestic impact of decisions of the African Court. Watch the conference live - https://lnkd.in/dt54dpVP #Implementation #Domestication #Impact #AfricanCourtDecisions #HumanRights