The Dullah Omar Institute’s Prof Ebenezer Durojaye was part of the delegation making the HIV Committee of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights that recently visited Namibia from 24 to 29 April 2017. The Committee focuses on the Protection of the Rights of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, Persons at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by the HIV / AIDS.
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Prof Ebenezer Durojaye was part of the delegation making the HIV Committee of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights that recently visited Namibia from 24 to 29 April 2017. The Committee focuses on the Protection of the Rights of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, Persons at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by the HIV / AIDS.
Gomhla we 18 ka Apreli 2017, iNdlu yoWiso mthetho yeSizwe izoqwalasela isindululo sokuphela kwethemba kuMongameli. Inkundla Yomgaqo-Siseko iceliwe ukuba inyanzele ibhalothi efihlakeleyo. Kwelinye icala, inkundla yomGaqo- Siseko iceliwe ukuba ilawule phezu kwe impeachment kaMongameli.
The National Assembly is considering a motion of no confidence in the President. The Constitutional Court has been asked to force a secret ballot. In a separate case, the Constitutional Court has been asked to rule on the ‘impeachment’ of the President.
The Dullah Omar Institute calls on residents of Cape Town and surrounds to attend the Memorial of the late Ahmed Kathrada.
The Dullah Omar Institute has joined 64 civic organisations urging the Speaker of the National Assembly to reconvene Parliament urgently.
While section 91(2) of the Constitution makes it clear that the President appoints and may dismiss ministers and deputy-Ministers, the Institute wants to register serious concerns surrounding yesterday’s replacement of ten ministers and ten deputy-ministers. The President must uphold, defend and respect the Constitution and promote the unity of the Nation.
How does pretrial detention affect the socio-economic rights of the accused and those around him or her? In this study, Prof Lukas Muntingh and Ms Jean Redpath of the Dullah Omar Institute’s Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative analyse and quantify the socio-economic impact of pretrial detention in Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia.
Prof Nico Steytler, will assist the government of the Solomon Islands in preparing a new Constitution.
The legal framework for spatial planning and land use management has changed dramatically over the past few years. A new law, the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act now guides the way national, provincial and local governments plan and manage land use. Municipalities are now at the centre of deciding land use applications.
The Dullah Omar Institute's Prof Lukas Muntingh and Jean Redpath were lead consultants in a project to audit Kenya's Criminal Justice System. The Audit found that more poor people were arrested, charged and sent to prison as compared to the well to do. A major concern as per the findings was that, serious offences such as organized crimes, capital offences and sexual offences were found to have the highest rate of acquittal and withdrawals. The Audit called on the N.C.A.J to capitalize on the recommendations for institutional reforms in policing and prosecution systems.
This issue includes two features, one explores if the Sustainable Development Goals are human rights-based and the other looks at the link between fundamental, elementary, primary and basic education. There is also an insightful interview with Professor Sandra Liebenberg.
In this opinion piece, DOI's Lukas Muntingh argues that life imprisonment in South Africa is a blunt instrument, based on little fact, and which has had no proven impact on violent crime rates. Furthermore, it is now imposed for offences that would not have attracted the death penalty, except in the rarest of circumstances.
CSPRI researcher, Kristen Petersen, presented findings of research which sets out the arguments and evidence for the decriminalisation and declassification of petty offences.
Yesterday, the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) hosted seminar for a group of public administration students from the University of Kehl in Germany. The topic discussed at this seminar was - Constitutionalisation of local government in the Southern African Region: Status, relevance and challenges.
On 18 April 2017, the Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative will be renamed into the Africa Criminal Justice Initiative (ACJI)
The Dullah Omar Institute joins civil society organisations concerned about the state of our democracy in condemning the deployment of 441 members of the SANDF to maintain law and order during this week’s State of the Nation Address.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), one of Pakistan’s four provinces, is implementing a new local government system. DOI is convening a study tour for a group of provincial and local officials.
On 7 February 2017, two days before the official opening of Parliament in 2017, Parliament Watch, a collective of nine independent civil society organisations working towards the advancement of social justice, the realisation of human rights, and strong constitutional democracy in South Africa will be hosting discussions on the state of South Africa’s legislatures and the effectiveness of parliament and parliamentary committees in their functioning as a tool for oversight, openness and accountability.
On 3 February, Jaap de Visser presented a lunch seminar at the Development Action Group (DAG) on how to use the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) for advocacy around urban housing challenges. The seminar was attended by housing rights activists based in Cape Town.
On 07 February 2017, in the days ahead of the opening of Parliament, Parliament Watch will be hosting an event, which aims to increase public scrutiny on legislatures through reflecting on their performance in 2016 and considering the prospects for stronger legislatures in 2017.
The drought is forcing cities to consider new ways of regulating water use. This is critical because rapid urbanisation and increasing water scarcity will continue to put pressure on the availability of water.
In 2016, the Dullah Omar Institute, together with Stephen Berrisford, made a submission to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Scholars and practitioners from all over the Horn of Africa, South Africa and Europe came together in Addis Ababa on 2 December to discuss the role of federalism and decentralisation in the Horn of Africa.
On 3 and 5 December, nine doctoral students from the Centre for Federal Studies (Addis Ababa University) presented parts of their dissertations at a doctoral colloquium. Each student presented a chapter, received feedback and engaged in debate with peers.
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Applied Constitutional Studies Laboratory (ACSL) is pleased to announce the publication of the Civic Protests Barometer (CPB).
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has come under increasing criticism in recent years. Among the reasons for criticism are the declining rate and number of cases being prosecuted, and the perceived politicisation of the institution. Institutionally the NPA is in a deeply troubled state. Is the NPA in need of an oversight mechanism to oversee its decisions? Please join the Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI), a project of the Dullah Omar Institute (University of the Western Cape) for an armchair discussion on the future of the NPA.
The Dullah Omar Institute, together with Stephen Berrisford, made a submission to the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill, 2016. The Bill seeks to regulate development activities on agricultural land in order to protect agricultural production. In essence, it forces municipalities to seek the consent of the Minister of Agriculture before approving the development of agricultural land.
From May till September 2016, the Socio-Economic Rights Project at the Dullah Omar Institute hosted a series of Community Leaders Workshops to empower and raise awareness on human rights and social justice.
On 27 August, the Center for Federal Studies of the Addis Ababa University convened a seminar on the Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond: The 15 years Democratic and Developmental Role of Local Government in Ethiopia.
