Workshop on South Africa's Foreign Engagements and Human Rights

Workshop on South Africa's Foreign Engagements and Human Rights

Since 1994 South Africa has emphasised human rights as a foundation of its society and governance. At this time, it proposed a foreign policy based on human rights. Over the past few years however, South Africa's commitment to human rights has come under question as a result of the positions it has adopted on a range of international issues, such as a perceived reluctance to sanction repression in Zimbabwe and Myanmar and ambivalence on homosexual rights. More recently, considerable controversy was generated when the Dalai Lama was reportedly denied a visa to enter South Africa.

Is South Africa compromising its commitment to human rights? Can human rights indeed be a factor in foreign and transnational relationships? Are they culturally specific or universal? What are the international trends in human rights thinking?

These issues have been much discussed, and could be defining for South Africa's identity in the world.

To interrogate them, the South African Institute of International Affairs is hosting a workshop in Johannesburg on 25 March 2009 and another in Cape Town on 26 March 2009, on the theme of South Africa's Foreign Engagement: Whither Human Rights?

There is no cost for attending. Prior registration is necessary. We reserve the right to limit numbers, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Johannesburg

Date:      25 March 2009
Time:       09h30 for 10h00 - 19h00 (A light finger lunch is included)
Venue:    Jan Smuts House, East Campus, University of Witwatersrand

RSVP:      by 20th March to Ms Nondumiso Nqunqa
Tel:         (011) 339 2021
Fax:         (011) 339 2154
E-mail:    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Cape Town

Date:      26 March 2009
Time:      10h30 for 17h00 (A light finger lunch is included)
Venue:    Hôtel le Vendôme, 20 London Road , Sea Point

RSVP:      by 24th March to Ms Nondumiso Nqunqa
Tel:         (011) 339 2021
Fax:         (011) 339 2154
E-mail:    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it