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The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria is launching in 2019 a LLM/MPhil (Disability Rights in Africa) degree. The knowledge attained from programme provides an opportunity to disability rights advocates, lawyers, researchers, social activists and educators to develop new legislation, jurisprudence, policy, research, and scholarship to harness the innovations and opportunities offered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (the Protocol).

Furthermore, the programme seeks to deepen the understanding of international human rights, with a focus on disability rights, and provide tools necessary to engage in a range of CRPD and the  Protocol implementation strategies, such as: challenging rights violations by drafting enforceable legislation consistent with the CRPD and the Protocol; utilizing enforcement mechanisms set forth in the convention; taking forward disability rights litigation requesting CRPD and the Protocol-compliant remedies; engaging in disability rights advocacy; and developing law, education, or other academic curricula informed by the CRPD and the Protocol.
 
This two-year programme is offered as a hybrid teaching approach comprising of online interaction and residential block-weeks in Pretoria. Two contact sessions will be scheduled every year (four contact sessions over the period of two years).

Call for Applications

pdfDownload the call for applications
Click here to apply online (please note - you must create an account on the Submittable platform before you can apply

Who can apply?

  • LLM degree requirements
    The Master’s degree LLM in Disability Rights in Africa degree is open to individuals with a LLB degree or equivalent.
     
  • MPhil degree requirements
    The MPhil degree is open to non-lawyers with at least an honours degree in an academic discipline relevant to disability rights in Africa; OR any other qualification in an academic discipline relevant to disability rights in Africa that allows admission to a master’s programme at the institution where the undergraduate qualification was obtained. If that qualification has duration of less than 4 years, substantial proven practical or professional experience in disability rights in Africa, subject to the discretion of the Dean, is further required.
     
  • Other relevant requirements
    Foreign qualifications are subject to South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) requirements.
    Applicants must have excellent academic credentials and demonstrate human rights experience or interest.
    A maximum of fifteen students will be accepted for the 2019 academic year.

How to apply

Course duration (two years)

2019 intake: January 2019 - December 2020

Application deadline: 31 July 2018

This is a selection course and applications must be submitted before 31 July 2018 to be admitted to the 2019 academic year.

Cost Estimation (subject to change)

2019 cost estimation for class registering in 2019 (first year of study)
  • Southern African students – R 19 000
  • Non-Southern African students – R33 000
2020 cost estimation for class registering in 2019 (second year of study)
  • Southern African students – R 28 000
  • Non-Southern African students – R38 000
In addition to registration fees, students have to finance their travel to and accommodation during the block weeks, which are compulsory to attend. (A total of four block weeks are scheduled over two years)

Scholarships

A very limited number scholarships (3 full scholarship) will be available for African citizens.

Objectives of the programme

  • To promote knowledge and understanding about the relevance of international human rights to disability rights;
  • To promote knowledge and understanding of the implementation strategies and enforcement mechanisms of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Protocol in a global and African context;
  • To promote knowledge and understanding of the implementation strategies and enforcement mechanisms of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa;
  • To promote knowledge and understanding about African regional disability rights protection as an institutional framework; and
  • To promote knowledge and understanding about disability as a multi – and interdisciplinary field of study in an African context.