Webinar on Effective Implementation of Socio-Economic Rights at the National Level [26 January 2021]

Effective implementation of socio-economic rights not only requires the recognition of these rights as justiciable or enforceable rights. It requires the development and implementation of policies to give effect to them at the national level. It also necessitates ratification, domestication, implementation, tracking and reporting on progress made on measures taken to comply with international norms and standards. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) recognises that many people do not enjoy some of the most basic rights. It acknowledges that vast numbers of people live in poverty, go hungry, do not have adequate shelter and do not have access to education.

South Africa’s initial state report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) highlighted on some of the measures undertaken in the implementation of ICESCR. The CESCR issued concluding observations and recommendations to South Africa on 12 October 2018. Concluding Observations have a direct impact on issues at the center of public debates about the need to accelerate “economic transformation”, expedite wealth redistribution and eliminate inequality in South Africa. They provide an opportunity for the Government to re-evaluate its progress in fulfilling the constitutional promise of socio-economic rights.

The webinar seeks to answer some of these questions

•  To what extent has the South African government implemented the concluding observations in the light of COVID 19 pandemic?
•  What opportunities exist to engage with the government with a view to implementing the concluding observations?
•  Are there lessons that can be drawn from other jurisdictions such as Canada in ensuring effective implementation of socio-economic rights at the national level?

Moderator: Gladys Mirugi-Mukundi (Researcher, Socio-Economic Rights Project, Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape)

Panelists:

1. Sandy Liebenberg (the H.F. Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law and Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Law, University of Stellenbosch. Was a member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR))
2. Yuri Ramkissoon (Senior Researcher focusing on Economic and Social Rights at South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC))
3. Lynette Maart (National Director at Black Sash)
4. Bruce Porter (Executive Director at Social Rights Advocacy Centre, Canada)

Please click HERE to register in advance for this webinar and after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.