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Country / Where did you grow up:
Ethiopia, Dhagahbur district
Academic qualifications:
LLB (cum laude) University of Hargeisa
B.Sc Agriculture & Natural Resource Management (cum laude) Gollis University
Experience:
I have worked for a number of international & local organisations in different capacities.
Academic fields of interest:
Public International Law, International Human Rights Law & Environmental Law.
husseinabdurahman197@gmail.com
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Underpinning all of the Unit’s work is the creation and maintenance of a Database of Unlawful Killings in Africa, designed as a resource initially for policy-makers and practitioners, but ultimately also for academic and other researchers.
Building on the work of a comprehensive baseline study completed in 2013/4 in collaboration with the University of Cambridge (available here) this database will contain information concerning events in the following categories:
Death Penalty
Custodial Deaths
Extrajudicial Executions
Excessive Force
Political Violence
Armed Conflict
Intercommunal Violence
Killings by Non-State Actors
In order for this database to function properly it needs material from as diverse a source-base as possible. Researchers in Pretoria would benefit greatly from partners across the continent passing them relevant information from any source, in any language, so that the resources of the database can be as comprehensive as possible.
The Unit encourages researchers and practitioners from across the continent and beyond to contribute to this process by uploading relevant information using this web form.
If you have questions about this or any other aspect of the Unit’s work we encourage you please to contact us.
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Unlawful Killings in Africa
Prepared by the Centre of Governance and Human Rights (University of Cambridge) for the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, June 2014
Resource Pack on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa
Prepared for the Joint Meeting of the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Pretoria, South Africa, 26-27 July 2013
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Download this information in PDF format
The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty has recently reviewed and updated the strategy for its campaign in favour of the international and regional protocols on abolition. Over the past five years, there have been positive steps taken by several African States with respect to the Second Optional Protocol of the ICCPR (ratifications by Benin, Gabon and Guinea Bissau, signatures by Angola and Madagascar). For 2015, the World Coalition has selected several African States as priority targets: Togo (Jan-Feb), Morocco & Cote d'Ivoire (Mar-Apr), Angola (Sept-Oct), and Madagascar & Sierra Leone (Nov-Dec). More information concerning the World Coalition's campaign, including information packs for lobbying actions, can be found here."
Penal Reform International has produced a report on Strengthening death penalty standards (2015) both underlining the existing minimum standards with respect to the continued application of the death penalty and exploring a number of emerging norms. The report can be found here.
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About the Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship
In loving memory of Gill Jacot Guillarmod, Senior Project Manager and Liaison Officer of the Centre for Human Rights from 1 May 2001 to 15 January 2010, in deep appreciation for her role to the academic and other programmes of the Centre, and in recognition of her humanity and humour, which left a profound impression on everyone whose lives touched hers, the Centre for Human Rights in 2010 established the Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship.
Scholarship Regulation document
The deadline for applications for the Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship is 30 October each year.
Criteria Applicable to the Scholarship
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The Scholarship will be awarded annually to a Masters or a Doctoral student studying towards a degree in human rights on a degree programme based within the Centre.
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The Scholarship will be awarded annually, for a student undertaking studies in the following academic year. The Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in November 2010, for studies in 2011. The recipient of the scholarship will be publicly announced on or around 10 December every year, as part of the LLM Graduation Ceremony. The scholarship amount will only be paid to the recipient once he or she has been registered with the University of Pretoria.
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All successful applicants for the LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa) may apply to be considered for this scholarship.
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Any doctoral student or masters student registered on any other programme in the Centre may also apply for this scholarship.
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The criteria for selection is:
proven commitment to human rights;
devotion to the cause of humanity;
academic excellence;
an ability to balance academic pursuit with other interests and financial need.
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At the time of making the application, an applicant must reveal any other scholarships already awarded for the intended programme.
Procedure for Applying and the Awarding of the Scholarship
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The Centre will advertise the Scholarship.
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Applications must reach the Office Manager (chr@up.ac.za) of the Centre by 30 October annually. Applications must consist of a letter of motivation, at least two letters of support, and the candidate’s most recent academic results or progress report (for currently registered doctoral students).
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Applicants should fulfil the criteria laid down by the University of Pretoria for enrolment for the field of study concerned.
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The Selection Committee will select students for the award in accordance with the criteria for the scholarship and will submit a list of scholarship holders to the Division for Study Finance in order for the award to be made on the student’s account
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The recipient of the scholarship is not precluded from holding other bursaries.
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The scholarship will be utilised to cover tuition and accommodation fees should the student reside in a UP residence. The student may claim credits that arise on the student account due to the award.
Selection Committee
The selection panel, consisting of the Director of the Centre, the Assistant Director of the Centre, the HRDA Programme Manager, the Centre’s Operations Manager and Edouard Jacot Guillarmod, or his representative, will meet annually to decide on the award of the Scholarship.
Recipients of the Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship
2011
- Melhik Bekele
- Japheth Biegon
- Ayalew Assefa
- Doris Sonsiama
- Meskerem Techane
2012
- Matthieu Ciaba
2013
- Rashid Dumbaya
- Bright Nkrumah
2016
- Monicah Kareithi
2019
- Eunice Sakaria
2021
- Candice Kasere
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About the Christof Heyns Human Rights Scholarship
Applications are invited for the award of the first Christof Heyns Human Rights Scholarship. Applications are open to current or prospective doctoral candidates studying towards a doctoral degree in human rights at the University of Pretoria.
Download Call for Applications
The last day for submitting applications is 4 October each year. Enquiries related to the scholarship can be directed to carole.viljoen@up.ac.za.
About Christof Heyns
The Christof Heyns Human Rights Scholarship (the Scholarship) is instituted in memory of renowned human rights scholar, Christof Heyns, who was professor of human rights law at the University of Pretoria (UP) until his untimely death in March 2021. Christof was the Director of the Centre for Human Rights from 1999 to 2006; Dean of the Faculty of Law from 2007 to 2010; and was the founding Co-Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa at UP. He was United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions from 2010 to 2016; and was a member of the UN Human Rights Committee from 2017 to 2020. Prof. Heyns pioneered and supported numerous human rights education initiatives in the course of his life, including by providing opportunities to deserving students to pursue human rights education.
About the Scholarship
The Scholarship is established to continue the legacy of Prof. Heyns in expanding human rights scholarships and giving opportunities to deserving but economically disadvantaged African students to undertake human rights related postgraduate studies in human rights at UP.
The amount of the Scholarship is R180,000. It is provided for a maximum of three calendar years for doctoral studies. The Scholarship award is reviewed annually, for continued funding, on the basis of satisfactory academic progress by the recipient.
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must:
- meet all the requirements for admission to doctoral studies in human rights at UP;
- be a citizen of an African country;
- have an excellent academic record, based on previous tertiary studies; and
- demonstrate the need for economic support to achieve their academic goals.
(If the Scholarship is awarded to a student who is not currently registered for doctoral studies at UP, the award will be provisional on the student being successfully registered with UP.)
How to apply
Applications must consist of:
- a letter of motivation,
- at least two letters of support, with referees’ contact details indicated;
- for prospective doctoral students: a brief proposal of around 5 pages, setting out the research problem, locating the proposed research in the existing scholarship; the research question(s); and the proposed research method/methodology;
- for currently registered doctoral students: a progress report by the supervisor; and
- the applicant’s most recent academic results.
Submit applications to carole.viljoen@up.ac.za
Closing date
The last day for submitting applications is 4 October each year.
Scholarship Regulation
Download Scholarship Regulations
Contact details
Enquiries related to the scholarship can be directed to carole.viljoen@up.ac.za.
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Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship
In loving memory of Gill Jacot Guillarmod, Senior Project Manager and Liaison Officer of the Centre for Human Rights from 1 May 2001 to 15 January 2010, in deep appreciation for her role to the academic and other programmes of the Centre, and in recognition of her humanity and humour, which left a profound impression on everyone whose lives touched hers, the Centre for Human Rights in 2010 established the Gill Jacot Guillarmod Scholarship.
Read MoreChristof Heyns Human Rights Scholarship
The Christof Heyns Human Rights Scholarship (the Scholarship) is instituted in memory of renowned human rights scholar, Christof Heyns, who was professor of human rights law at the University of Pretoria (UP) until his untimely death in March 2021. Christof was the Director of the Centre for Human Rights from 1999 to 2006; Dean of the Faculty of Law from 2007 to 2010; and was the founding Co-Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa at UP. He was United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions from 2010 to 2016; and was a member of the UN Human Rights Committee from 2017 to 2020. Prof. Heyns pioneered and supported numerous human rights education initiatives in the course of his life, including by providing opportunities to deserving students to pursue human rights education.
Read More