About the Community Law Centre’s role in constitution-making in South Africa and Sharing South Africa’s experience making in Tunisia and Myanmar. #DOI30yrs
30th Anniversary
#DOI30yrs
The Dullah Omar Institute started its work under the name 'Community Law Centre', an organisation borne out of the struggle against apartheid. The Community Law Centre opened its doors in 1990 with the help of the Ford Foundation. Adv Dullah Omar, a human rights lawyer, was its first director. The Centre played a major role in the negotiations towards a democratic South Africa. First staff members included prominent activists such as Bulelani Ngcuka, Dr Zola Skweyiya, and Brigitte Mabandla. Working with Albie Sachs and Prof Kader Asmal they participated in the constitutional negotiations. Ever since our inception, we have been a major contributor to policy formulation for South Africa’s constitutional order and increasingly, elsewhere on the continent.
In 2015, the Community Law Centre was renamed into the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights to honour our founding director and the first Minister of Justice in a democratic South Africa. We host the prestigious Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture to pay tribute to the rich legacy of the late Adv Dullah Omar.
From 1990 to 1994, the Community Law Centre (now: Dullah Omar Institute) focused its work on shaping a democratic South Africa. Under the leadership of Adv Dullah Omar, the Centre directly influenced the constitutional negotiations with academic research.
The Centre produced many papers, drafted by some of the African National Congress' key negotiators, on topics related to the quest for a constitutional democracy. Some of the historical publications can be downloaded here.
On CLC’s role during the transition, Dullah Omar’s achievements as Minister and on taking pride in the Centre’s work across Africa. #DOI30yrs
On the University context surrounding the Centre's Establishment.
On starting CLC’s work on children and women, on combining political negotiation and academic rigour and on Dullah Omar’s role in welcoming back activists returning from exile. #DOI30yrs
On litigating socio-economic rights and on the value of institutions such as CLC.
On working for Dullah Omar as an intern and Amy Biehl’s tragic death and how it sparked thinking on restorative justice.
On ensuring the Constitution included children’s rights and on 15 years of law reform towards the Child Justice Act and the Children’s Act.
On CLC as the research angle for the liberation movement and on shaping the local government system as we know it.
On a 15-year long collaboration with the Community Law Centre on human rights and democratisation in Africa.
'On helping to write a Constitution in a time of war (Part 1)' and 'On a Centre that is “For all of Africa”, academic and engaged in social justice (Part 2)'. #DOI30yrs
On the establishment of the ANC Constitutional Committee in 1990 and its connection with the Community Law Centre. #DOI30yrs
Albie Sachs, former associate of the Centre and former judge of South Africa’s Constitutional Court (1994-2009). On the Centre as the engine room of the intellectual foundation for the new Constitution…and on combining dreaming, imagining and ‘nuggety research’.