Invitation to all the friends and alumni of the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (of the various academic programmes, moot court competitions and short courses).

Download this invitation in PDF

2016 is a special year

At the continental level, the African Union’s Year of Human Rights (with a focus on women’s rights) marks the entry into force of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 30 years ago.

At the Centre for Human Rights, we mark 30 years of existence.

Over these 30 years, the Centre’s academic programmes, projects and partnerships have focused on the African regional human rights system, with the African Charter at its core. The Master’s programme in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa, in particular, with its 14 partner faculties across the continent, and 456 graduates around the continent and beyond, has seen a convergence between the agendas of the Centre and the African human rights system.

     
Invitation

On 8 December 2016, the Centre organises a Colloquium, to which it invites all its alumni, partners and friends, to celebrate the co-existence and convergence over the 30 years of the Centre and the African human rights system.

You are cordially invited to the following events:

• Thursday 8 December 2016
  Colloquium (all-day event)
  Social event (evening)
• Friday 9 December 2016
  Graduation Ceremony of the 2016 HRDA class (afternoon)

Call for Papers

HOW FAR HAVE WE COME IN THE LAST 30 YEARS? HOW FAR CAN WE GO IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS...

• … with human rights education in Africa?
• … with human rights institution-building in Africa?
• … with public interest litigation in Africa?
• … with protecting LGBTI rights in Africa?
• … with realising socio-economic rights in Africa?
• … with protecting the rights of the persons with disabilities in Africa?
• … with protecting the human rights of women in Africa?
• … with international criminal justice in Africa?
• … with serving the best interest of the child in Africa?
• … with peace-building in Africa?
• … with accountability for gross and systematic human rights violations in Africa?

We encourage alumni of all Centre academic programmes, the Moot Court Competition and Centre short courses, as well as all partners and friend of the Centre, to share their practical / professional experiences in various fields over the years, subsequent to graduating/ participating in Centre courses/ events.

Papers provide a unique opportunity to combine these experiences with reflections and analysis of the substantive issues related to these experiences. You are welcome to suggest further sub-themes.

Submission of abstracts

Abstracts (of between 200 and 250 words) setting out the crux of the presentation, indicating the sub-theme to which it relates (or indicating an additional sub-theme), should be sent to [email protected] by 30 October 2016.

Funding

The Centre is in a position to sponsor for the travel expenses of some 20 participants. Indicate, when you submit your abstract, if you require sponsorship. Those sponsored will be informed by 9 November 2016.

Please mark this date on the calendar. We hope many Centre alumni (of our academic programmes, the various Moot Court competitions and short courses), as well as the Centre’s other partners and friends, will be able to join us on that day.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Centre!