Web pages about "South Africa"

South Africa must protect those at risk of "xenophobic" attack

Fri, 30 May 2008 17:28:34 +0100

Amnesty International has called on the South African government to take all necessary measures to protect the human rights of people at continuing risk of violent attacks and displacement from their homes on the basis of their perceived ethnic origins or status as "foreigners" or asylum-seekers.

The organization urged the government to ensure that those who have been subjected to this violence and displacement have access to humanitarian assistance, legal remedies and psycho-social support. No deportations should be carried out without access to full and fair asylum procedures and other full procedural guarantees. Law enforcement agencies should take effective steps to investigate the attacks and those responsible should be brought to justice.

Amnesty International condemns the human rights abuses that have been and continue to be committed against individuals, families and groups defined on the basis of their perceived identity or status.

In the wave of killings, beatings, sexual assaults, looting and destruction of property, the victims have been identified by the perpetrators according to their alleged identity or status. This violence has now occurred in at least five provinces, including most currently in the Durban and Cape Town areas.

Amnesty International acknowledges that members of the government have publicly denounced the violence and are taking some steps to improve the coordination and level of security response to it. All members of the security forces carrying out law enforcement duties, including any members of the armed forces, should comply with the UN Code of Conduct and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. In conjunction with the commendable work of non-governmental service-providing organizations there also has been an improvement in the official responses to humanitarian needs of the many thousands displaced by the violence.

Members of government at national and provincial levels and leading ANC officials have publicly referred to possibly politically-motivated, organized, ‘third force’ origins of this violence. Whatever may be the factual basis for these views, Amnesty International urges that any official inquiry into the violence be independent and impartial and investigate fully, among other things, any evidence of negligence by law enforcement officials either in the form of failures to act on information provided to them about threats or planned attacks and/or their having turned a ‘blind eye’ to actual attacks.

In addition, the inquiry should examine the role of possible contributory factors to the violence. These include the longstanding pattern of discriminatory practices and attitudes shown towards asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants by officials, including from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the police services and also the magistracy.

Legal and advocacy organizations, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly raised with the government their concerns that these practices and attitudes result in effective denial of access to asylum determination procedures, place individuals at risk of arbitrary arrest, unlawful deportation, or forcible return to their countries of origin where they may be subjected to further human rights violations. In addition, an implicit official denial that Zimbabweans in South Africa may be in need of international protection may also have contributed to the hostility towards this group, who have been targeted in the current violence.

Amnesty International is also concerned that those responsible for earlier incidents of attacks on individuals or businesses owned by non-South Africans, including as recently as March 2008, do not appear to have been brought to justice -- thereby contributing to a climate of impunity for these abuses. Moreover, there appear also to have been no disciplinary or other measures taken against police officers who were involved in a high profile police raid on Johannesburg’s Central Methodist Church on 31 January this year, during which hundreds of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees sheltering at the church were subjected to arbitrary arrest and in some cases excessive force by police. They also were subjected to delays in access to necessary medical treatment for chronic illnesses or injuries received at the hands of the police. Some of those arrested were also unlawfully detained due to the improper and prejudiced conduct of the magistrate who presided over bail hearings.

While the national Minister of Home Affairs publicly stated that no-one affected by the violence should be subjected to deportations, Amnesty International has received reports of deportations occurring, including allegedly involuntary ones. Amnesty International urges the Minister and the DHA to ensure, in cooperation with other relevant departments and service-providers, that any person displaced or otherwise affected directly by the violence should receive counselling support and legal and other advice to enable them to make an informed decision about whether they wish to return to their country of origin. This measure is particularly important in the case of those individuals who had already applied or attempted to apply for asylum or have received refugee status.

Finally, Amnesty International urges the national Minister of Social Development to exercise his discretion under section 5 of the Social Assistance Act of 2004 to ensure that all those displaced by the violence, irrespective of their citizenship status, are able to receive emergency assistance grants.

UN examines human rights in member countries

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:59:20 +0100

All UN member states are facing a rigorous examination of their human rights records. The inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group began on Monday.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a new mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council and, over the next four years, it will regularly review the human rights obligations and commitments of all 192 Member States. Governments themselves will carry out this regular and systematic scrutiny.

The new process will address one of the main criticisms of the Council’s predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights, which was accused of considering only a small number of countries, and of often avoiding pressing situations for political reasons.

The UPR Working Group will, until 18 April, examine the human rights records of 16 countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia and the UK.

This first session will be followed by two further sessions in 2008, so that 48 countries, selected by drawing lots, will have been scrutinized during the year.

An important feature of the new process is that governments of the countries under examination are expected to carry out a broad consultation among civil society. Amnesty International has lobbied energetically to ensure that all relevant voices are heard.

The organisation has submitted information on 14 of the 16 countries above and its members and supporters are working with civil society within each country to raise awareness of the new process.

Amnesty International said, in a statement issued on Monday, that this first session of the UPR Working Group will be key in setting the standard for future reviews, in terms of process as well as substance.

"Both reviewed and reviewing countries have an important role to play. Amnesty International looks to all member states to step up and help launch the UPR as an effective human rights mechanism," said Martin Macpherson, Director of the organization's International Law and Organisations Programme.

South Africa: Rural women the losers in HIV response

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:39:06 +0000

Amnesty International today revealed the extent of the impact of HIV and AIDS on poor rural women in South Africa with a major new report about the overwhelming challenges facing rural women in the midst of the severe HIV epidemic affecting the country.

The report, based on interviews with rural women living with HIV, describes oppression faced by rural South African women in their relationships with male partners and within the wider community because of their gender, HIV status and economic marginalization.

“Rural women in South Africa are disproportionately affected by poverty and unemployment,” said Mary Rayner, Amnesty International’s South Africa researcher.

“They continue to experience discriminatory attitudes and practices -- particularly from male partners – and live in an environment rife with high levels of sexual and other gender-based violence.”

Despite gradual improvements in the government’s response to the HIV epidemic and the adoption of a widely-welcomed five-year plan, five and a half million South Africans are HIV-infected – one of the highest numbers in any country in the world. Fifty-five percent of them are women. South African women under 25 are three to four times more likely to be HIV-infected than men in the same age group.

Many women interviewed by Amnesty International said that they were often unable to protect themselves against HIV infection because they felt at risk of violence when they suggested condom use.

One woman told Amnesty International that her husband, a truck driver, spent much of his time on the road. On his days off, he would visit her but refused to use condoms when she asked him. After he abandoned the family, she became sick and discovered at the local clinic that she was infected with HIV. She has no knowledge of her husband’s health since he left the family.

Several other women interviewed by Amnesty International described being beaten and forced to have sex by husbands who actively refused to use condoms.

“Rural South African women's lives are scarred by persistent violence in their families, homes and in under-policed, unsafe communities,” said Michelle Kagari, Deputy Director of AI’s Africa Programme.

"The co-existence of epidemics of both HIV and violence against women has raised the costs of violence for South African women and girls – both physically and psychologically," said Kagari

While there are many good reasons to increase testing for HIV across South Africa, the situation is complicated in a context of gender inequality and violence, poverty and social stigma. Women are currently tested in greater numbers than men currently. When they receive limited psycho-social support, disclosing their status can leave them vulnerable to abandonment, threats of violence and other consequences of stigma and discrimination.

The great majority of rural women interviewed by Amnesty International said that their male partners were reluctant to test for HIV or refused to be tested –- even when there were strong indications the men might be HIV-infected.

Many of the women faced abuse from their partners when they tried to access health services for HIV-related treatment and care.

“When a woman's partner is in denial about his own HIV status, he may resent her going to the clinic or taking medication,” said Rayner.

"In the context of pervasive gender inequalities, stigma and violence facing women, particular attention must be paid by those providing HIV testing to anticipate and address possible adverse consequences for women once they disclose their HIV positive status and start treatment.”

Effective treatment for HIV and AIDS requires regular visits to hospitals and clinics for treatment and care. Women also need adequate daily food with which to take their medication. Rural women living with HIV in circumstances of poverty and unemployment face constant challenges in having regular access to food and often cannot afford transportation to health facilities accredited to provide treatment.

"Lack of physical access to treatment centres is tantamount to a denial of access to health care services, and the government must take more responsibility in ensuring this access," said Michelle Kagari.

Also hampering treatment in rural areas is the fact that South Africa's health system is currently facing severe shortages of essential medical and other staff necessary for providing a comprehensive service - particularly in these areas.

Amnesty International’s report offers specific recommendations to national and provincial authorities on how to tackle the challenges facing rural women living with HIV. It also makes recommendations to donor countries and institutions that support health initiatives in South Africa.

"It is only with considerable difficulty and great determination that rural women manage to continue their treatment and try to improve their health -- and the government has a responsibility to help them in this struggle.”

To see a full copy of the report “I am at the lowest end of all” – Rural women living with HIV face human rights abuses in South Africa, please click here.

South Africa: Rural women the losers in HIV response

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:15:34 +0000

Rural women living with HIV in circumstances of poverty in South Africa face discrimination in relationships and in communities because of their gender, HIV status and economic marginalization.

A new Amnesty International report based on interviews with rural women, the majority of them living with HIV, exposes the overwhelming challenges they face in the midst of the severe HIV epidemic affecting the country.

"Rural women in South Africa are disproportionately affected by poverty and unemployment," said Mary Rayner, Amnesty International's South Africa researcher.

"They continue to experience discriminatory attitudes and practices -- particularly from male partners – and live in an environment rife with high levels of sexual and other gender-based violence."

Despite gradual improvements in the government's response to the HIV epidemic and the adoption of a widely-welcomed five-year plan, five and a half million South Africans are HIV-infected – one of the highest numbers in any country in the world. Fifty-five percent of them are women. South African women under 25 are between three and four times more likely to be HIV-infected than men in the same age group.

Many women interviewed by Amnesty International said that they were often unable to protect themselves against HIV infection because they felt at risk of violence when they suggested condom use.

One woman told Amnesty International that her husband, a truck driver, spent much of his time on the road. On his days off, he would visit her, but he refused to use condoms when she asked him. After he abandoned the family, she became sick and discovered at the local clinic that she was infected with HIV. She has no knowledge of her husband's health since he left the family.

Several other women interviewed by Amnesty International described being beaten and forced to have sex by husbands who actively refused to use condoms.

"Rural South African women's lives are scarred by persistent violence in their families, homes and in under-policed, unsafe communities," said Michelle Kagari, Deputy Director of AI's Africa Programme.

"The co-existence of epidemics of both HIV and violence against women has raised the costs of violence for South African women and girls – both physically and psychologically," said Kagari.

The majority of rural women interviewed by Amnesty International said that their male partners were reluctant to test for HIV or refused to be tested -- even when there were strong indications they might be HIV-infected. Many of the women faced abuse from their partners when they tried to access health services for HIV-related treatment and care.

Effective treatment for HIV and AIDS requires regular visits to hospitals and clinics and adequate daily food with which to take medication. Rural women living with HIV in poverty and unemployment face constant challenges in having regular access to food and often cannot afford transportation to health facilities accredited to provide treatment.

"Lack of physical access to treatment centres is tantamount to a denial of access to health care services, and the government must take more responsibility in ensuring this access," said Michelle Kagari.

Amnesty International's report offers specific recommendations to national and provincial authorities on how to tackle the challenges facing rural women living with HIV. It also makes recommendations to donor countries and institutions that support health initiatives in South Africa.

Human Rights Day: Secretary General Irene Khan to address The Elders' event in Cape Town

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:59:03 +0000

Media Advisory

Amnesty International's Secretary General, Irene Khan, will be launching the organization's year-long activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) at an event with The Elders in Cape Town, South Africa, on 10th December 2007.

"As the countdown towards this significant anniversary approaches, the world has to face the challenge of moving from rights to realisation and to bridge the gap between promise and performance," said Irene Khan.

Irene Khan will be available for interview on Sunday 9th and Monday 10th December in Cape Town. She will also be discussing the initial findings of the latest Amnesty International research on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. An Amnesty International team will have just come out of Zimbabwe days before, having spent time looking into police brutality and torture there.

Zimbawbe is a prime example of the need for continued work promoting the UDHR's vision and implementation.

If you would like to attend the event in Cape Town on 10th December please contact: pippa@visuali.co.za or Jesse +27 (0) 84 608 6600

WHEN: Monday, December 10, 2007 at 9:30am
WHERE: The Bo-Kaap Museum, 71 Wale Street, Cape Town, South Africa.

To arrange an interview with Irene Khan during her visit, please contact Judit Arenas on +44 7778 472 188 or Eliane Drakopoulos on +44 7778 472 109