Human rights: Open Society initiative also backs body promoting rule of law

The Southern Africa Litigation Centre, the first body in the region dedicated to training and supporting lawyers litigating human rights and rule-of-law issues, was opened this week by the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, which is backed by financier George Soros.


The Johannesburg-based centre will provide ongoing expert support, resources and training to lawyers taking cases that advance human rights, the rule of law, public interest and constitutional issues in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.


UK/US firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has selected the centre as one of its global pro bono projects, offering training, back-up in cases and the creation of a unique on-line library of the law of each country.


Richard Goldstone, a retired South African Constitutional Court judge and co-chairman of the IBA's human rights institute, said: 'In the new democracies of our region, constitutionalism and the protection of fundamental human rights are areas in which our lawyers have not been trained. It is a learning curve for us all.


'The history of legal activism in South Africa demonstrates the importance of the careful selection of cases that are on firm ground, both morally and legally. In providing training in these areas, this new centre will play a crucial role.'


Executive director Nicole Fritz said: 'The centre hopes to increase the number of successful human rights and public interest cases litigated before domestic courts.


'Often judges and lawyers are unfamiliar with human rights standards and practices, advocacy skills have not been specifically cultivated in this field, relevant legal texts are often unavailable, and to date, there has been inadequate funding to support such litigation.'



She added that constitutional reform in many countries, allied with under-utilised constitutions in others, meant litigation is necessary 'to help unlock the promise of these founding documents'.


IBA executive director Mark Ellis said: 'We are confident that, in the long term, the centre will set a standard in human rights advocacy that will be recognised far beyond Africa.'