Social Cohesion: Human Rights Workshop (Nobantu Junior High School)

Khule during his presentation (Note the ceiling above, most schools in the townships are facing this issue.)

On the request from Cape Town Refugee Forum, Africa Unite held a Human Rights workshop on the 7th of August at Nobantu Primary School. The purpose of this workshop was to ultimately comprehend at which level the average grade 9 students understood their human rights as citizens of South Africa, as well as those coming from other countries (in particular, African countries) and to better inform them. The workshop was facilitated by Africa Unite’s peer educators, Khulekani Sibindi and Nqaba Nzuzo. The workshop touched on the following topics:

• The importance of Human Rights education
• Human Rights principle
• Bill of Rights (South African constitution)
• Categories of Human Rights
• South African mandate towards the protection of Human Rights
• Vulnerable groups (Women, children, elderly, people with disabilities and refugees)

During the facilitation, it was seen that the students did not understand the difference between Human Rights and Civil Rights. They were shocked to hear that refugees also had rights. At the end of the workshop, they were able to distinguish and understand types of rights and how the South African constitution protects everyone living in the country. The students also requested regular workshops to be held at the school and in their respective communities. The teachers welcomed the initiative and noted that this complemented and paired along with the compulsory school subject, Life Orientation.