News

Twice a year the University of Fribourg offers scholarships to young researchers who would like to undertake a research stay on a doctoral or post-doctoral level.

The Socio Economic Rights Project (SERP) in conjunction with the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN), held a colloquium on the role of regional/sub-regional human rights bodies in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa, from the 28 – 29 June 2018.

It remains the case that too many people, especially the poor and other disadvantaged groups, are arrested and even detained for the transgression of minor offences, such as loitering, being a ‘rogue and vagabond’, use of abusive language, disorderly behaviour, public insult and being idle. Many of these offences date back to the colonial-era. The 12 partner organisations of the campaign on the Decriminalisation and Declassification of Petty Offences in Africa have as their collective aim reform in law, policy and practice that would address the arbitrary and discriminatory nature of these laws and by-laws and their enforcement.

ACSL uses computational methods to model how governments can improve their performance, accountability and services to promote social justice. The Municipal Audit Consistency Barometer (MAC-B) is a tool to measure consistency in municipal compliance with national audit standards over a five year period.

The Women and Democracy Initiative (WDI) identifies as feminist, challenging systemic power, patriarchal norms and pervasive misogyny. We take an informed position to challenge the social system and dominant narratives that colluded with people accused of sexual misconduct and abuses of power and silence those who seek justice and protection.

The Dullah Omar Institute (DOI), University of the Western Cape, participated in the 62nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission, held inNouakchott, Mauritania, from 25th April to 9th May 2018. DOI’s Statement to the Commission centred on the need to empower National Human Rights Institutions in African States with the enabling environment and resources to engender the protection of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Africa.

Prof Jaap de Visser was invited by the Forum of Federations to be part of an engagement, on 11 and 12 May 2018, between international experts and the Philippines Consultative Committee to review the Constitution of the Philippines.

In Mozambique the courts close for 60 days from December until February for the ‘judicial vacation’ (férias judiciais). For emergency matters, shifts are arranged by the Supreme Court only at the court of first instance as regulated by articles 27 and 28 of Law 24/2007. At the moment there is a proposal before the First Commission of Parliament to revise this system and reduce the duration of the holidays to 30 days.