MAIN PROGRAMMES

Training

One of HRDI’s strategic objectives is to contribute to the development of centres of excellence within African university based law clinics that will contribute toward discourse within the regional and international human rights institutions.

To this end, HRDI works primarily with university based law clinics or non-governmental organisations that also work with law students in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland, Angola and Burundi.

We use a multi-disciplinary approach and clinical legal education methodology as far as possible. To this end, the trainers comprise political scientists, social scientists, medical doctors, practising lawyers, law teachers and journalists.

Guest teachers are encouraged to ensure active participation, interactive methods debate and enquiry in the class. We aim to achieve a balance between philosophical discourse and application of theory to pragmatic circumstances. Further, since egalitarianism is a core value for the HRDI team, we try to ensure that the power relations within the classroom environment are flattened.

Legal Services

One of the specific objectives of HRDI is to contribute towards the development of human rights jurisprudence particularly within the domestic, regional, community and eventually international human rights enforcement machinery.

The legal services component of HRDI is dedicated towards the achievement of this objective. We provide technical legal assistance, for example, identifying legal issues and cause(s) of action, drafting and reviewing court documents, researching regional and international human rights law, researching comparative persuasive jurisprudence and providing legal opinions.

Community Outreach

HRDI’s overall goal is to contribute to the protection, promotion and respect for the rule of law and human rights in Africa through increasing access to regional and international human rights forums to the poor and vulnerable groups in society.

The community outreach programme is geared at bridging the gap between the lofty ideals of international and regional human rights conventions and the people these same conventions seek to protect. These individuals and communities usually live far away from university law clinics and non-governmental organisations. Consequently the outreach programme aims at developing strategies which will enable lawyers to go closer to the communities and individuals they seek to serve.