The African Human Rights Moot Court Competition aims to advance the cause of human rights in Africa by providing an opportunity to law students from across the continent to prepare and argue a hypothetical case before human rights experts. This year marks the 25th edition of the competition and the issues being argued by students include:
- The legality of withdrawal from the African court’s jurisdiction by African states;
- Conditions of detention;
- Freedom of association; and
- Gender and human rights of women.
This year’s edition of the Moot Court Competition is organised by the Centre for Human Rights in partnership with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as the Faculty of Law, University of The Gambia. The 25th African Human Rights Moot Court Competition attracted law students from 54 universities cutting across Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone speaking African countries. While some universities have attended more than 80 percent of the African Human Rights Moot Court Competitions (Rhodes, Fort Hare and Pretoria in South Africa; Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique and Chancellor's College in Malawi) others are participating for the first time. The first time participating universities are: Institute Universitaire d’ Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire); Samara University (Ethiopia); University of Juba (South Sudan) and Universidad Politecnica (Mozambique).
Registration was held at the TuksSport High School of the University of Pretoria. Participants arrived at the venue displaying the colourful traditional attires of their countries. In an opening speech held by the Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Prof Frans Viljoen, participants were briefed on the guidelines of the competition. This was followed by the drawing of lots to determine opponents and a flag ceremony displaying the country flags of participating countries.
Prof Andre Boraine, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, in his welcoming address gave a brief overview of the history of the Centre for Human Rights. Prof Boraine recalled some of the Centre’s major achievements which include the awarding of the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Eductation in 2006 and the African Union Human Rights Prize in 2012. Prof Boraine further stated that the hypothetical case argued during this Moot Court competition applies to the real world and urged the Centre to continue to uphold its human rights values.
Mr Norman Taku, Assistant Director, Centre for Human Rights, highlighted that this year’s Moot commemorates 25 years of existence after starting in 1992 with only Southern African countries being involved. He further highlighted that the first Moot was held in Harare, Zimbabwe in times distractingly different from the present. Since then, the Moot Court has extended beyond Southern Africa and has taken place every year since 1992. Mr Taku laid out the failures and successes of African states in the pursuit of human rights and concluded by urging all Moot Court participants to become great ambassadors of the values and ideals emboddied by the African Human Rights Moot Court Competition.
The opening ceremony concluded with a speech by the special Guest of Honour, Hon. John Jeffrey, MP, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development South Africa. In his speech, the Deputy Minister commended efforts made by the Centre in enhancing human rights worldwide.
The day ended on a high note – a sumptuous dinner at the symbolic Gallery of Leaders, Freedom Park, Pretoria.