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Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, South Africa

The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, is an internationally recognised university-based institution combining academic excellence and effective activism to advance human rights, particularly in Africa. It aims to contribute to advancing human rights, through education, research and advocacy.

Latest News

Taking the internet governance gospel from Africa to the world
Taking the internet governance gospel from Africa to the world
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Call for Applications
Call for Applications
Post-doctoral Fellow at the International Development Law Unit (IDLU)
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World Democracy Day
World Democracy Day
As the World Commemorated World Democracy Day on 15 September 2019, the Centre reflects on the wobbly democracy trajectory on the African continent and reiterate on the observation by the late Kofi Annan
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Strengthening the independence of the African Commission
Strengthening the independence of the African Commission
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Round table seminar
Round table seminar
The seminar brought together experts from all spheres to discuss South Africa’s Commitment to Global and Regional Accountability.
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Access to information and election preparedness workshop in Botswana
Access to information and election preparedness workshop in Botswana
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Disability Rights workshop
Disability Rights workshop
The training workshop was convened under the title ‘Ensuring access to justice for persons with disabilities.
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Migration is not a crime
Migration is not a crime
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, strongly condemns the recent xenophobic violence and attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa.
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Latest Press Statements

Advocacy platform of former Commissioners established to strengthen the independence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
16 September 2019
Former members of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), meeting in Pretoria, initiated the setting-up of a platform to strengthen the independence of the African Commission.
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Press Statement (16 September 2019)
Press Statement: Experts discuss South Africa’s Commitment to Global and Regional Accountability
13 September 2019

A recent round table seminar brought together by the South Africa Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, with the support of the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, discussed South Africa’s attitude towards global and regional accountability mechanisms.

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Press Statement (13 September 2019)
"Future Africa Statement on Forced Migration in Africa"
7 September 2019

WE, PARTICIPANTS of the International Conference on the Protection of Forced Migrants in Africa, gathered on 6 and 7 September 2019 at the Future Africa campus of the University of Pretoria, South Africa;

INVOKING the notion of Ubuntu; RECOGNIZING the development of progressive laws and policies governing forced displacement and migration adopted by several countries in Africa; and CALLING for a movement away from rhetoric towards the effective implementation of existing laws and policies;

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Conference Statement (7 September 2019)
Centre for Human Rights calls for an end to cycle of inaction on recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa
3 September 2019
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, strongly condemns the recent xenophobic violence and attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa. The Centre calls on the government to develop a targeted intervention strategy. The cycle of outrage, followed by commitment to take action, but then inevitably fading into inaction, should be broken.
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Press Statement (3 September 2019)
Centre for Human Rights remembers Dawda Jawara as an african human rights icon
30 August 2019
The Centre remembers the iconic Dawda Jawara, who played a considerable role in laying the foundations of the African regional human rights system. For those following and committed to human rights in Africa, the name of Dawda Jawara takes pride of place.
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Press Statement (30 August 2019)
Centre for Human Rights welcomes the decision of the High Court of Botswana on decriminalising same-sex sexual acts
13 June 2019
Botswana joins Angola, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa as members of SADC to decriminalise same-sex sexual acts, a progressive outlook for this region.
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Press Statement (13 June 2019)
Centre for Human Rights calls on South African government to enhance the protection for older persons and to ratify the Protocol on Older
6 June 2019
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, calls on the South African government to enhance the protection for older persons; and to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa (Protocol on Older Persons).
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Press Statement (06 June 2019)
Centre for Human Rights condemns internet shutdown in Eritrea
16 May 2019
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria is deeply concerned about the reported blocking of social media by the government of Eritrea to curb an impending demonstration ahead of the country’s Independence Day commemorations. Eritrea is due to celebrate its 26th Independence Day on 24 May 2019.
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Press Statement (16 May 2019)
  • Advocacy platform of former Commissioners established to strengthen the independence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Press Statement (16 September 2019)
  • Press Statement: Experts discuss South Africa’s Commitment to Global and Regional Accountability Press Statement (13 September 2019)
  • "Future Africa Statement on Forced Migration in Africa" Conference Statement (7 September 2019)
  • Centre for Human Rights calls for an end to cycle of inaction on recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa Press Statement (3 September 2019)
  • Centre for Human Rights remembers Dawda Jawara as an african human rights icon Press Statement (30 August 2019)
  • Centre for Human Rights welcomes the decision of the High Court of Botswana on decriminalising same-sex sexual acts Press Statement (13 June 2019)
  • Centre for Human Rights calls on South African government to enhance the protection for older persons and to ratify the Protocol on Older Press Statement (06 June 2019)
  • Centre for Human Rights condemns internet shutdown in Eritrea Press Statement (16 May 2019)

Upcoming Events

30 Sep 2019;
08:00AM - 05:00PM
Advanced Human Rights Course: Civil Society Law in Africa
07 Oct 2019;
08:00AM - 04:00PM
Capacity Building Workshop on Strategic Advocacy & Litigation for LGBTI human rights defenders in Africa
21 Oct 2019;
08:00AM - 05:00PM
Advanced Human Rights Course: African Human Rights System in Comparative Perspectives Course
21 Oct 2019;
08:00AM - 05:00PM
Advanced Human Rights Course: African Human Rights System in Comparative Perspectives Course
21 Oct 2019;
08:00AM - 05:00PM
Advanced Human Rights Course: African Human Rights System in Comparative Perspectives Course
View Full Calendar

Academic Programmes

Academic programmes presented by the Centre for Human Rights:
HRDA

HRDA

LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa
The LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa is a prestigious one-year intensive course where 25-30 exceptional individuals spend 6 months in Pretoria and 6 months at one of the 13 partner universities all over Africa.

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TILA

TILA

LLM (International Trade and Investment Law in Africa)
The LLM degree in International Trade and Investment Law in Africa is a higher education and training programme based in, and focused on, Africa with full exposure to the international world of trade and investment.

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SRRA

SRRA

LLM/MPhil (Sexual & Reproductive Rights in Africa)
The Master's degree (LLM/MPhil) in Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa is a two-year programme that is offered as a blended learning course comprising of online interaction and residential block-weeks in Pretoria.

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MDHR

MHR

LLM/MPhil (Multidisciplinary Human Rights)
The LLM/MPhil degree in Multidisciplinary Human Rights gives students from various disciplines the opportunity to engage with human rights issues from a number of perspectives. This programme is for lawyers and non-lawyers.

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DRIA

DRIA

LLM/MPhil (Disability Rights in Africa)
The two-year programme is offered as a hybrid teaching approach comprising online interaction and residential face-to-face weeks in Pretoria. Two face-to-face sessions will be scheduled every year. The first face-to-face session is in December 2018.

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Education Projects

The Centre presents annually a number of short courses, two moot court competitions and a conference:
AHRC

AHRC

Advanced Human Rights Courses
The Advanced Human Rights Courses (AHRC) programme consists of annual advanced short courses dealing with issues pertinent to human rights, development and good governance in Africa.

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AHRMCC

AHRMCC

African Human Rights Moot Court Competition
The annual African Human Rights Moot Court Competition is the largest gathering of students, academics and judges around the theme of human rights in Africa.

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NMWMCC

NMWMCC

Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition
The Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition is an annual event and is open to both undergraduate and master's degree law students.

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Annual Conference

Conferences

Annual Conference
The Disability Rights Unit at Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, hosts an annual conference on disability rights in an African context during the first week of November.

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Research Units

Research Units

Overview of our Units

The Centre for Human Rights hosts a number of Research Units whose main objectives are to do research in their prospective fields.

Most Units have a short course, a clinical group and a resource database linked to the Unit. Focus areas include freedom of expression and access to information, business and human rights, children's rights, disability rights, women's rights, litigation, race and common citizenship, sexual orientation and gender and identity expression and unlawful killings.

Overview of our Units
Advocacy Unit
Business and Human Rights Unit
Children's Rights Unit
Democracy, Transparency and Digital Rights Unit
Disability Rights Unit
Freedom from Violence Unit
Litigation and Implementation Unit
Race and Common Citizenship Unit
SOGIESC Unit
Women's Rights Unit

Associated Institutes / Units

IDLU

IDLU

International Development Law Unit
The International Development Law Unit (IDLU) presents the LLM (International Trade and Investment Law in Africa) and its mission is to conduct and promote policy-oriented legal research on international development law topics.

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ICLA

ICLA

Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa
The Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA) aims to become a first port of call for those who wish to engage in legal research and legal reform in Africa involving comparative or international law at the advanced level.

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Publications

AHRLJ

AHRLJ

African Human Rights Law Journal

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ADRY

ADRY

African Disability Rights Yearbook

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Awards & Prizes

UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education
In 2006, the Centre for Human Rights was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education, with particular recognition for the African Human Rights Moot Court Competition and the LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa
2006
2006
UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education
African Union Human Rights Prize
In 2012, the Centre for Human Rights was awarded the 2012 African Union Human Rights Prize, in recognition of the Centre's contribution to the work of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa.
2012
2012
African Union Human Rights Prize