From 24 to 25 July 2023, the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria collaborated with the office of the Ombudsperson for Children in Mauritius to host a capacity building on the ‘Rights of Children with Disabilities in the African Human Rights System’.

The Office of the Ombudsperson for Children, which has the mandate to promote the rights and best interests of the child in Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Apalega, in accordance with the rights and principles set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, organised the two-day training workshop.

The workshop was aimed at advocating for a human rights based approach to the rights of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on the right to inclusive education. This was achieved by exploring the African human rights system, disability rights, children’s rights and the right to education. The training was led by Professor Nkatha Murungi, Assistant Director, Centre for Human Rights and Ms Dianah Msipa, Manager, Disability Rights Unit, Centre for Human Rights.

The Centre also utilised this opportunity to promote the use of African regional human rights instruments, especially the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (African Disability Protocol). Given the representation of key government officials at the meeting, the Centre specifically advocated for Mauritius to ratify the African Disability Protocol. As of July 2023, only 8 African countries had ratified the African Disability Protocol. 7 more ratifications are required to make 15, which is the minimum number of ratifications necessary for it to come into effect. The Ombudsperson for Children, Mrs Rita Venkatasawmy expressed her commitment to relying on the African human rights system in promoting and protecting the rights of children with disabilities in Mauritius

For more information, please contact:

Dianah Msipa (she/her)
Manager: Disability Rights Unit
Tel: +27 (0)12 420 6398
[email protected]