call for researchers

What has been the influence to date of the main United Nations human rights treaties, and the work of the committees that monitor compliance by States with these treaties, on the lives of people worldwide? A group of human rights researchers are currently engaged in a comprehensive ‘domestic impact study’ that will address this question in 20 countries. Researchers in other parts of the world are now also encouraged to undertake research on the same issue in their home countries.

prof christof heyns

20 November 2018

The (former) special rapporteur of the UN Christof Heyns through a statement urged the government of Enrique Peña Nieto to clarify the murders of 22 alleged criminals in the Mexican municipality of Tlatlaya that could be summary executions.

Hague-Law-Interpreted

12 November 2018

About the publication

Given the centrality of Hague Law to the prosecution and impact of armed conflict, the relative paucity of dedicated works is surprising. The general formulation of Hague Law rules is largely uncontroversial, but this clarity stands in stark contrast to their interpretation and practical application. How precisely, for instance, the fundamental rules of distinction and proportionality in attack are to dictate and constrain the planning and practice of warfare continues to be highly uncertain. This important new publication fills the gap in the literature. Offering a comprehensive survey of the Hague Law, it explores general questions of definitions and accountability, to the substantive rules and their application to different types of warfare.

SASCA-2018

07 November 2018

The Organisers of the Stellenbosch Annual Seminar on Constitutionalism in Africa (SASCA) are pleased to announce the call for papers for the Seventh Stellenbosch Annual Seminar on Constitutionalism in Africa (SASCA 2019) which will be held in Stellenbosch (South Africa) from Wednesday 18 September to Friday 20 September 2019. As in the past, SASCA 2019 will be jointly organised by the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA) of the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, and the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in partnership with the South African Research Chair in Multilevel Government, Law and Policy (SARChI) at the Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Rule of Law Program for Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Geneva Guidelines on less lethal Weapons Consultation in Geneva

11 October 2018

Go to original post - Geneva Academy

On 8 and 9 October, members of the Academic Working Group – a group of experts convened by the Geneva Academy and the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (University of Pretoria) – met at the Villa Moynier to consult states and to discuss revisions made to a proposed text of guidance on less-lethal weapons (LLWs) and related equipment in law enforcement.

 

heyns-probert

The Faculty of Law recently hosted the latest in a series of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) lectures at the University of Pretoria. For this lecture, talks were dedicated to SDG 16, which reads as follows:

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

 

Dagnachew-Wakene-page

“Change is already right here, and the youth, disadvantaged youth included, should be empowered and given the chance to lead by example.” Dagnachew Wakene - Alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

As a polio-survivor born and raised in Ethiopia, Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus Dagnachew ‘Dag’ Wakene worked tirelessly to overcome prejudice and misconceptions about his capabilities. In doing so, he has become a voice for many disenfranchised people, not only in his home country, but also the broader continent.

 

autonmous-weapons-page

13 September 2018


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On 11 September 2018, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the elaboration of a binding international treaty to prohibit lethal autonomous weapons systems. One of the main sources cited by the resolution is research done by Prof Christof Heyns, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria.

 

SASCA-6-133-page

12 September 2018

The Honourable Mogoeng Mogoeng, Chief Justice of South Africa, and the Honourable David Maraga, Chief Justice of Kenya, were the keynote speakers at the Sixth Stellenbosch Annual Seminar on Constitutionalism in Africa.

 

chief justices2

Summary Report

The Sixth Stellenbosch Annual Seminar on Constitutionalism in Africa (SASCA) 2018, jointly organised by the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA) of the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria and the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in partnership with the South African Research Chair  (SARChI) on Multilevel Government, Law and Policy at Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape,  and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Rule of Law Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa, based in Kenya. from 4-6 September 2018. The theme for the seminar was Democracy, elections and constitutionalism in Africa.

 

geneva discussion

5 September 2018

The Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa and the Geneva Academy invite you to a discussion targeted at seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders on a set of draft guidelines on the lawful and responsible redesign, production, procurement, testing, training, transfer and use of non-lethal weapons and related equipment.