Human Rights Developments

Defending Human Rights

The Role of the International Community

United Nations

In January 2000, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child considered South Africa's first report to that body. The committee welcomed legal reforms and steps taken to implement them, but expressed concerns about a number of areas, including the juvenile justice system, especially the holding of children in adult detention facilities. South Africa chaired the tenth U.N. Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held in Vienna in April 2000. U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Dato Cumaraswamy visited South Africa in May, on a fact-finding mission during which U.N. technical aid to South Africa was also discussed.

The office of the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, under a project in operation since April 1998, offered technical assistance to South Africa. A manager for the project was based at the SAHRC's headquarters in Johannesburg. In addition, the Pretoria office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees gave logistical and other support to the SAHRC's work on xenophobia.

South Africa continued to receive substantial international donor funding: an estimated R.760 million during the 1999/2000 financial year (U.S.$110 million) and R.800 million (U.S.$116 million) in 2000/2001.

United States

President Mbeki visited the U.S. in May, his first state visit. The U.S. Agency for International Development's Program for South Africa focused on six strategic areas, including democracy and governance, as well as law enforcement. In May, USAID pledged U.S.$250 million for social development programs over the next five years.

European Union

Under the terms of an "in principle" agreement in December 1999, the E.U. Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa pledged continued funding until September 2003 of human rights and development projects with funds from the European Commission's Programme for Reconstruction and Development in South Africa. Individual E.U. member states also made bilateral contributions to human rights initiatives. In June 2000, E.U. foreign ministers approved a 885 million euro (U.S. $840.7 million) program. Several European ministers traveled to South Africa during the year. A Trade, Development, and Cooperation Agreement between the E.U. and South Africa was finally agreed in February 2000, cutting tariffs and liberalizing trade, after years of negotiations. President Mbeki visited the U.K. in May, and attended the third annual meeting of the U.K.-South Africa forum.

The Commonwealth

In November 1999, South Africa hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Durban; in August the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association met in Cape Town. A number of Commonwealth governments provided assistance for human rights projects, including the Australians and the Canadians.

Relevant Human Rights Watch Reports:

A Question of Principle: Arms Trade and Human Rights, 10/00