The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, cordially invites you to its 10th Annual Disability Rights Conference on 17 and 18 November 2022 which will take place in a hybrid format (in Pretoria, South Africa; and on zoom). The theme of this year’s conference is “Migration, Displacement and Disability: A human rights’ response”. Kindly note that for those who wish to attend the conference physically/in-person, it is required that you cover your own costs (air tickets, accommodation, transport, etc). The Centre will cover costs of conferencing. For those who wish to attend the conference virtually, you are simply requested to fill out the Google form, and the zoom link will be emailed to you.
The conference acts as a platform for convening dialogue amongst key stakeholders on disability rights, and to spotlight the pertinent and emerging disability rights concerns in the African region.
The Centre is implementing a research project on the impact of race and colour on the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with albinism in South Africa. The project seeks to determine the extent and the manner in which racism and colourism hinder the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with albinism in South Africa. Accordingly, the Centre is seeking to recruit an experienced consultant with extensive knowledge on the rights of persons with albinism. The consultant is expected to conduct a desktop research study to ascertain the impact of race and colour on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism in South Africa.
The Disability Rights Unit, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, conducted a research study to map out the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in accessing the criminal justice systems in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia. Botswana, South Africa and Zambia have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2021, 2007 and 2010, respectively. The (CRPD) enshrines the rights of persons with disabilities, including the right to access justice on an equal basis with others under article 13.
The Disability Rights Unit Clinic, Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, hosted a Zoom webinar to call for the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (African Disability Protocol).
On 1 July 2022, the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, in conjunction with Validity Foundation, held an Africa regional online consultation on the CRPD draft guidelines on deinstitutionalisation, including in emergencies.
Join us as we discuss why African States should ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Persons with disability in Africa.
The Centre for Human Rights cordially invites stakeholders including States parties, right-holders under the Convention, principally persons with disabilities through their representative organizations, other civil society organizations, independent monitoring mechanisms, national human rights institutions, and Human Rights Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures mandate holders to participate in the Africa Regional Online Consultation that is scheduled to take place on 01 July 2022, at 10:00 am SAST.
On 23 June 2022, the Centre for Human Rights held a high-level meeting to encourage African Union (AU) member states to ratify three instruments. First, is the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa (Older Persons Protocol), which was adopted by the AU in 2016. Second, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (African Disability Protocol), adopted in 2018. Third, the Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) was adopted by the AU in 2009. The Older Persons Protocol and the African Disability Protocol are both not yet in force as they are yet to receive the 15 ratifications necessary for them to come into effect.
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, cordially invites you to the launch of a report focusing on a study carried out to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and related emergency measures on persons with disabilities in Southern Africa.
On 6 June 2022, the Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria hosted a capacity-building training workshop for African civil society to implement and monitor the implementation of human rights of persons with albinism in Africa. The aim of the workshop was to equip persons with albinism with tools to enable them to be better placed to engage with National, regional and international mechanisms including and not limited to reporting, engagement with the UN systems such as independent experts and special rapporteurs and periodic reporting as advocacy tools. The countries represented at the workshop were Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania.
The Disability Rights Unit, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria held a two-day regional convening on Promoting access to justice for persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities in Southern Africa from 16 to 17 May 2022 at Capital Hotel Menlyn Maine in Pretoria, South Africa.
Migration, Displacement and Disability: A Human Rights Response
17 and 18 November 2022
The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, hosts an annual conference on disability rights in an African context during the month of November. The inaugural disability rights conference was held in 2013. The annual conference serves as a platform for convening dialogue amongst key stakeholders on disability rights, and to spotlight pertinent and emerging disability rights concerns in the African region.
The African Disability Rights Yearbook (ADRY) is calling for papers for consideration for publication in Section A of the ADRY in 2022. The ADRY publishes once a year with a focus on disability rights issues and developments of contemporary concern to persons with disabilities on the African continent. The ADRY is published by the Pretoria University Law Press (PULP) and is published as a peer-reviewed open-access journal.