Human Rights Week Campaign

Annually, the South African Human Rights Commission rolls out a weeklong public education and awareness programme in all provinces as a build up to the celebration of Human Rights Day on 21 March. Each year a theme and key messages are developed for the campaign. This year the campaign will focus on human rights violations in farming communities and the theme is "Working the land with dignity".

Background history to Human Rights Day
On 21 March 1960, events were planned for many parts of the country, for people to protest against the Pass Laws. These laws required all Africans living or working in and around towns to carry a document (known as a pass) with them at all times. Failure to carry this document would lead to arrest by the police and to people being sent away from the towns in which they lived.

At Sharpeville in Gauteng, thousands of people gathered at the police station demanding to be arrested. They were met by 300 police officers. After a scuffle broke out, the police opened fire on the crowd. At least sixty-seven people were killed and 180 injured by the shooting.

These people were protesting against unfair laws and were really demanding their human rights. Many of these rights are now included in our Bill of Rights, and include the rights to:

• Equality (Section 9);
• Human dignity (Section 10);
• Freedom of expression (section 16);
• Assembly, demonstration, picket and petition (Section 17);
• Freedom of association (Section 18); and
• Freedom of movement and residence (Section 21).

The SAHRC celebrate this day each year to remind us of the great suffering and loss of life that accompanied the struggle for freedom and human rights. It is to remind us that people in South Africa will never again be denied their human rights.

Plans for the 2002 Human Rights Week
The 2002 Human Rights Week will be launched on 18 March 2002 in Kai! Garib in Kakamas in the Northern Cape. The Mayor of Kakamas, the Premier of Northern Cape, the Chairperson of the SAHRC and representatives for the national departments of Justice and Constitutional Development and Labour are scheduled to speak at the event. Cultural events involving mainly children from the farms have been organised for the launch. The days subsequent to the launch will entail visits to several farms and farm schools in the Northern Cape by a high profile delegation consisting of representatives from Chapter Nine Institutions and Government to get first hand experiences of living conditions in the farms with a view of developing mechanisms of redressing them. In addition a seminar will be held for representatives from farming communities. They will be trained on the Bill of Rights, Security of Land Tenure, Safety and Security, Labour Rights, HIV/AIDS and Disability. The seminar is a partnership between the SAHRC and various other local government departments and NGOs. In addition, "information tents" well be set up in Kakamas and Keimoes where citizens will be able to access information on their various rights.

The following are the main objectives of the Human Rights Week activities:

• To set up a network of all partners intending to embark and participate in HR Week
• To ensure that farmers and farm workers are targeted through various programmes on the Constitution and in particular the Bill of Rights
• To ensure that violations that are noted during the visits to farms, are immediately addressed through the complaints channels of the SAHRC
• To distribute information on "Know your Rights" and specific rights and issues as they pertain to this community
• To ensure that farmers and farm workers concerns are heard during this week in the hope that both communities are brought closer
• In June 2001 the SAHRC launched an Inquiry Into Human Rights in the Farming Community and the inquiry will be entering its crucial stage during the first half of this year. Hearings on human rights abuses in the farming communities will be conducted in April to be followed by a national conference/summit in May 2002. The Human Rights Week will provide an opportunity to update the communities and our partners on the status and progress of the Inquiry. We have sufficient knowledge and experience to believe that our energies and those of our partners should be focused on this sector.

Other events will be planned around other provinces and the focus will be on children's rights within the farming community e.g. child abuse, child labour, education etc. During the event farming communities will be invited to the celebrations where they will be informed of their rights and the role of the SAHRC and other human rights bodies in insuring that they enjoy their rights. Prominent speakers will be invited to engage with the farming communities and cultural events will be organised to embrace the ceremonies. An extensive awareness campaign through radio and nation-wide distribution of PR material will be implemented.