With the year 2020 marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the SAHRC and the entire world facing the immense challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the globe, the Commission as well as our partners, have all been faced by the challenges of harnessing digital technologies to keep important conversations alive.

No conversation is more important than the role the youth can play in furthering theirs and the rights of others within a human rights and constitutional framework. The diverse group of youth representatives, including a historical reflection on the sacrifices of the youth in 1976, will enable the Commission to host a webinar, expressive of a multitude of engaging views.

The webinar also enables a critical view the SAHRC has played in the promotion, protection and the monitoring of the human rights – particularly those of the youth – over the last twenty five years. In turn the Commission, through engaging the youth and members of the public, is able to hear what the needs of the youth are and engage on the best mechanisms in advancing their rights into the future.

Youth Day marks a day of remembrance, when at least 176 people - mostly youth in Soweto – were killed in protests against the imposition of the policy of Afrikaans as the sole means of instruction in schools. This year marks the forty fourth anniversary of this dark chapter in South African history. Within the context of a global disaster being the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the challenges that disproportionally affect the youth remains unresolved.

The Commission remains deeply concerned by violent incidents involving children,

gangsterism, drug abuse and neglect and thus we call on all South Africans  to take action in the protection and realisation the rights as set out in the Bill of Rights, Chapter Two of the Constitution. Chapter Nine Institutions such as the SAHRC, government, civil society, faith based communities, business, academia and the rest of society should galvanise to create a society which places the interests of the child first.

The Commission and its partners thus invites all to register and participate in the webinar the SAHRC will host.

Link to register: https://sahrc.webex.com/sahrc/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed64a49fa2fb82d54eda76df6fcbe6856

Date and Time: Tuesday, 16 June 2020, 12:00 PM to 13:30 PM

Event number: 137 284 9740

Event password: Y4Zi , along with link Event address for attendees: https://sahrc.webex.com/sahrc/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed64a49fa2fb82d54eda76df6fcbe6856