Dr Rufaro Mavunga is a resident researcher affiliated with the SARChI Professorship in International Constitutional Law, University of Pretoria. Dr Mavunga completed her LLB, LLM in Labour Labour and LLD all at the University of Pretoria. Her doctoral thesis was written under the supervision of Professor Erika de Wet and is titled “The Prohibition of Child Labour in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe: Distinguishing Permissible forms of Child Work from Prohibited Forms of Child Labour”. The thesis developed a comprehensive child work policy that promotes education for all children, but suggests that light work, if adequately regulated, can be combined with schooling. The thesis in addition further investigated the extent to which South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe complied with the child labour conventions to which they are party. The municipal laws of these countries in some cases do not always reflect the principles and standards of international law. The research subsequently prompted the reformulation or refinement of some laws relating to some of the worst forms of child labour within these states. The study furthermore also provided practical ways in which States can effectively overcome the challenges they face in enforcing such laws. Dr Mavunga has in addition published articles on the historical development of child labour laws and also on the international prohibition of child labour.

Dr Mavunga has worked as an Academic Assistant in the Department of Mercantile Law and the Institute for International and Comparative Law at the University of Pretoria. She has in addition worked as a Labour Law Analyst at Retrenchment Assist. She is currently an external marker for Monash South Africa.

Research Interests : Labour Law, International law, Human Rights Law, Business Law