BA(Hons)(UP) BAdmin(Hons)(UP) MPhil(MDHR)(UP) Dhil Candidate (UP)

Project Coordinator: Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition
+27 (0) 12 420 4754
eduardo.kapapelo@up.ac.za

Media articles

• Democracy in times of COVID-19: a time for introspection?
  Originally published in AfricLaw
  8 April 2020

Podcast

In this episode, Dr Eduardo Kapapelo who was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree (DPhil) from the Centre for Human Rights at the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria discusses his doctoral thesis. In his thesis, Dr Kapapelo identifies how reforming the state and its institutions are vital not only for the prevention of violence, but for the establishment of democratic governance. His dissertation titled “The Role of State Institutions in Preventing Violent Conflict in Angola” explores the nature of Angola’s institutions and how they have created conditions under which individual rights and liberties are undermined. This thesis argues that overly- centralised states have a hand in contributing towards the emergence of conflict and that the design of the state, through its institutions, is paramount in safeguarding individual rights and in doing so, preventing the occurrence and or resurgence of violence. Furthermore, the thesis contends that while there are both global and regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights which promote values of peace, inclusiveness and democratic governance, states are still the main actors in international politics. As such it is their responsibility to structure institutions which would reflect such values based on their local contexts and realities.

BA Law(NWU) LLB(UP) LLM(UP)

Communications and Advocacy Officer
+27 (0) 12 420 5408
simphiwe.khumalo@up.ac.za