SECTION27 » Rule of law

Certificate course on HIV/AIDS and the law curriculum 2011

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:38:42 +0000

Curriculum 2011 (PDF,

The Protection of Information Bill is unconstitutional and anti-democratic

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:55:30 +0000

Joint SECTION27/TAC statement Transparent governance, free expression and a free press are essential components of democracy. They are the means by which all people in South Africa, especially the vulnerable and poor, can hold our government to account. Our effectiveness at getting the state to implement HIV treatment and prevention programmes has been dependent on the Constitution being upheld, especially the Bill of Rights.

Call for the immediate release of AIDS and human rights activist, Tian Xi, and other Chinese human rights defenders

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:56:38 +0000

Today, SECTION27, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the Gay and Lesbian Equality Project and COSATU hosted a joint rally outside the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria to demand the immediate release of Tian Xi and other human rights defenders wrongly imprisoned in China. Tian Xi, an AIDS and human rights activist who has been imprisoned since 6 August 2010, was infected with HIV as a child during a surgical operation - a common event in China at the time - and has been actively campaigning for the rights of people so infected to receive compensation from the Chinese government.

WORLD AIDS Day Protest Planned to demand immediate release of Chinese AIDS & Human Rights Activist, Tian Xi and others

admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:16:21 +0000

In a show of solidarity and to commemorate World AIDS Day, the Treatment Action Campaign, SECTION27, COSATU and others will be staging a protest on 1 December 2010 at the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria to demand the immediate release of Chinese AIDS activist, Tian Xi and other Human Rights activists detained in China. Date: 1 December 2010 Where: Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, 972 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, 0083, Pretoria Time: 11h00

ESR Review: Regulating private power in health

admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:40:21 +0000

by Jonathan Berger and Adila Hassim On 28 July 2010, Ebersohn AJ of the North Gauteng High Court reviewed and set aside regulations purportedly made in terms of section 90(1)(u) and (v) of the National Health Act 61 of 2003 (NHA). As a result of this judgment, the Regulations Relating to the Obtainment of Information and the Process of Determination and Publication of the Reference Price List (the Regulations) and all related acts – including the determination and publication of the annual national health reference price list (NHRPL) – are now invalid.

Promotional video clip of A Country For My Daughter

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:22:53 +0000

In A Country For My Daughter Nonkosi Khumalo travels around the country investigating the stories of brave women whose court cases have transformed the law in South Africa for the better. The cases range from rape within a family to holding the Minister of Safety and Security liable, in cases where police were involved in violence against women. Through these stories, Nonkosi learns of the laws available to protect South African women and how they can be used.

Social justice organisations denounce the arrest of Sunday Times journalist, Mzilikazi wa Afrika

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:08:51 +0000

We are organisations that campaign for social justice. The success of our work is dependent on respect for the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. The right to free expression and freedom of the press and other media are essential components of democracy. That is why they are contained in the Bill of Rights. They are one of the essential means by which all people in South Africa, especially the vulnerable, exploited and poor, can hold government and the powerful private business sector to account.

Joint SECTION27 and LRC submission on the draft Constitution Nineteenth Amendment Bill and the Superior Courts Bill

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:30:57 +0000

On 15 July 2010, SECTION27, incorporating the AIDS Law Project and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) made a joint submission on the draft Constitution Nineteenth Amendment Bill and the Superior Courts Bill to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. The Bills propose establishing a single judiciary with the Constitutional Court as the apex court for all legal matters. The submission focuses primarily on the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court; the regulation of the terms of office of judges of the Constitutional Court; and the expansion of the mandate of the Judicial Service Commission.

SECTION27 leader speaks on AIDS and human rights in China

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:24:53 +0000

On Monday 5^th July Mark Heywood, the director of SECTION27, was one of the keynote speakers at the launch of China's first ever forum between the Chinese government and civil society representatives to talk about human rights issues linked to HIV/AIDS. The China Red Ribbon Beijing Forum as it is known was opened by the Vice Minister of Health, Yin Li, UNAIDS and a person living with HIV. Heywood spoke on the importance of engagement between government and civil society on issues of human rights.

Call on Government to withdraw homophobic statements made by representative to United Nations

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:42:49 +0000

A broad range of civil society organisations have called on the South African government to distance themselves from homophobic and unconstitutional comments made by Jerry Matjila, South Africa's representative at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Matjila said that to protect gay people, "demeans the legitimate plight of the victims of racism".