Human wrongs into Human rights.
We Support Human Rights Defenders in South Africa
Friends of the LRC firmly believes in the importance of upholding and protecting human rights in South Africa. These human rights defenders play a crucial role in advocating for justice, equality, and the well-being of all people, often in the face of adversity. We recognize their tireless efforts and the risks they take in their pursuit of a more inclusive and just society. Through our unwavering commitment, we strive to provide them with the necessary resources, assistance, and platforms to amplify their voices and advance their cause. By supporting human rights defenders in South Africa, we aim to contribute to a society where human rights are respected, protected, and enjoyed by all individuals without discrimination. Together, we can work towards a brighter future where justice and equality prevail.
Championing Human Rights
The LRC’s unwavering commitment to human rights serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Their dedication to defending the rights of the marginalized and transforming South African society is a testament to the power of using the law as a catalyst for change. Over the years, their work has evolved to address a broad range of human rights issues and contribute to the transformation of South African society.
Friends of the Legal Resources Centre (FoLRC) stands alongside the LRC in their vital work. We provide essential financial support, engage in joint initiatives, and help raise awareness of the LRC’s accomplishments both within the United States and globally. Through our collaboration, we aim to amplify the impact of the LRC’s human rights advocacy and ensure their work reaches a broader audience.
Together, the LRC and FoLRC are working tirelessly to promote justice, equality, and human dignity. By supporting the LRC’s important work, we contribute to building a more just and inclusive world.
Bridging the Education Gap
Poverty, inequality, hunger, crime and parental education levels are interconnecting reasons behind poor education outcomes in South Africa, particularly among predominantly black and/or rural communities. In 2020, the Department of Basic Education reported that over 5000 schools have little to no water supply, over 400 schools have no electricity supply and over 3000 schools use pit toilets as their main ablution facilities. Additionally, many schools’ classrooms are overcrowded, with some schools reporting a 60:1 learner to teacher ratio. Major, structural change is necessary to ensure that South Africa meets its constitutional obligations regarding the provision of education.
The LRC has successfully litigated a number of cases that have uplifted the right to education of learners across South Africa. The LRC’s strategy includes a wide range of clearly defined actions and interventions aimed at ensuring that these injustices faced in the education sector are dismantled. The LRC is currently developing further advocacy campaigns and strategic litigation to continue to uphold the basic education rights of all learners in South Africa.
Justice and Transformation
South Africa’s history is marred by land dispossession inflicted by both colonial and apartheid regimes, leaving the majority of South Africans without land or with insecure tenure over their land and housing. The South African Constitution aimed to bring about radical change by implementing land reform measures that included the restitution of land dispossessed after 1913, the equitable redistribution of land and resources, and securing tenure for all South Africans. However, the transformation has been painfully slow for various reasons.
Corruption and mismanagement within the state have plagued land reform efforts, diverting resources towards elite capture and undermining genuine land claims. As a result, the majority of the population, particularly poor and lower-income black South Africans, as well as women, continue to be denied the right to secure tenure, equitable access to land and housing, and the fundamental principles of equality and dignity.
The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) is committed to using the power of the law, including constitutional and customary law, to support democratic practices and institutions in land reform. Their mission is to advocate for the restoration of land to communities that have been historically marginalized and disadvantaged by unjust and discriminatory colonial and apartheid laws and practices. Through strategic legal interventions, the LRC seeks to ensure that land reform in South Africa is carried out in a just and transformative manner, addressing historical injustices and promoting equality and access to land for all South Africans.