The right to equality is one of the strategic focus area of work of the South African Human Rights Commission (The Commission) and informs a wide range of actions to promote, protect and monitor observance of the right to equality in the country. A continued strategic focus on equality by the Commission is informed by the persisting inequalities in the country.

To this effect, the Commission has developed the Equality Toolkit to provide a generic resource, which may be referenced by stakeholders in an effort to deepen and strengthen levels of awareness about the right to equality in the country. The Toolkit contains basic information on equality, includes summaries of the legal and policy framework, international and regional equality norms and standards, reference to key jurisprudence and lists key reference materials. The Toolkit also sets out structures that can help with equality related violations with a specific focus on the Equality Courts as well as the role of the Commission and other entities in promoting and protecting the right to equality.

The Northern Cape Provincial Office has noted, with concerns, through the information collected during the monitoring of correctional centres that there are recurring incidents of discrimination meted out to offenders. In view of this, the Northern Cape Provincial Office saw a need to conduct a sensitivity training on the right to equality as enshrined in section 9 of the Constitution, 1996.

To this end, the Northern Cape Provincial Office will be conducting training for the Department of Correctional Services officials at the Kimberley Management Area to sensitise them about right to equality as well as to deepen and strengthen levels of awareness about the right of equality among Correctional Centres’ officials. Furthermore, the Commission will promote the functionality of equality courts, which are established to ensure that reported cases of alleged unfair discrimination are dealt with to guarantee that justice is served for all.

The training on the equality toolkit and the promotion of the functionality of equality courts will take place as follows:

Date: Thursday, 02 March 2022
Time: 10h00 AM to 13h00 PM
Venue: Kimberley Club (35 Currie Street), Kimberley

Ends

Prepared by the Northern Cape Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission.

For further information contact the Northern Cape Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission: Advocate Chantelle Williams, Provincial Manager, at T: 054 332 3993 / C: 079 439 5557; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Buyisile July, Advocacy and Research Consultant at T: 054 332 3993 / C: 072 949 7578 ; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.