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The Civic Space Today is a program of the Southern Defenders. A deep dive into thought-provoking conversations on civic engagement, social change, and community empowerment. Join us to explore the vibrant landscapes of human rights defending!
13 Episodes
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🎙️ Delving into the vital nexus of media and human rights in Southern Africa with Zenaida Machado, Senior Researcher at Human Rights Watch. Join us as we explore the crucial role of journalism in safeguarding human rights, bridging mainstream media with citizen journalism, and amplifying the voices of HRDs. Tune in for an insightful conversation on how media serves as a beacon for justice and accountability. #HumanRights #MediaFreedom #SouthernAfrica
Chazile Dlamini-Magagula from SWAGAA joins us to discuss self-care, collective care strategies, and building supportive communities for WHRDs. This episode is a resource for WHRDs seeking ways to rejuvenate themselves, prioritize their well-being, and ultimately become the best of themselves – for the movement they champion, their families, and the communities they serve.
This International Women's Day episode is a recognition of both the achievements in women's empowerment and the ongoing fight for equality. It situates itself within a global emphasis on the need for continued innovation and adaptation to address global challenges faced by women. Lungile Mnisi, the Regional Advisor for Gender and Social Inclusion at Southern Human Rights Defenders Network joins us to discuss Southern Defenders women's network and its upcoming International Women's Day event. We'll learn why they focus on women human rights defenders and how the network supports them.
On Sunday, February 4, 2024, the President of Namibia, Hage Geingob, succumbed to cancer and died at the age of 82. In this episode, we join the people of Namibia in reflecting on the life and leadership of President Geingob. We are joined by Ester Simon, a phenomenal young woman who served the President as his youngest advisor in the high-level panel on the Namibian economy. We hope to unpack the President’s youth focus, and the experiences of youth leaders in various capacities that got to serve in his tenure.
January 21, 2024, marked a year since the assassination of Eswatini's Thulani Maseko, a human rights defender and lawyer whose work impacted the human rights sector tremendously. Advocate Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, a Swazi Human Rights Lawyer, joins this episode to shed insights on Thulani’s life, death, broader experiences of Human Rights Defenders in Eswatini, and challenges with legal representation of HRDs. #JusticeForThulani
Ms Abigail Noko, the Regional Representative of the Regional Office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Southern Africa, joins us to reflect on two things: firstly, the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and secondly, our r6th annnual Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Summit held in Namibia.
This episode locates mental health within human rights promotion and protection. Malawi based clinical psychologist Dr Mathero Michelle Nkhalamba joins us to unpack the issues surrounding mental health in communities that have in the past or are experiencing different forms of human rights violations. She draws attention to the challenges human rights defenders face in doing the brave work they do advocating for social justice, and tables strategies for individuals, organizations and communities to build mental resilience.
The epsiode explores the role of the law in protecting the human rights of womn in Namibia. We discuss the challenges of ensuring that the law is applied fairly and impartially, regardless of gender, and the impact of new technologies on the protection of human rights. We also speak into the role of civil society in promoting and strengthening the application of the law in the the protection of human rights. The rich and intersectional lens provided by the Minister of Justice of Namibia, Yvonne Dausab, provides great insights on the subject.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a shrinking civic space, with human rights defenders (HRDs) increasingly targeted by threats, harassment, and attacks. This is due in part to the ongoing violent conflict in the region, as well as the government's crackdown on dissent. Franck Kamunga joins today's episode to the reflect on the context and its impact on the scheduled elections. The episode also explores recommendations on what different stakeholders must do ahead of the elections.
Today's episode deep dives into the life of Tanele Maseko, a human rights defender from eSwatini. She is the widow of Thulani Maseko, a widely celebrated activist who was murdered in his home on 21 January 2023 by suspected state agents. Her story and journey is one of resilience, and mirrors the inspiring commitment and passionthat drives human rights defenders. Who even when the challenges seem insurmountable, continue to fight for what they believe in, like a flame that refuses to be extinguished.
This episode draws attention to Zimbabwe, reflecting on the role of national and local government in safeguarding the civic space. Our guest is the Mayor of Harare, Jacob Mafume, joining us to unpack the impact the government has had on the civic space. We close off with recommendations on best practices.
The June episode is set against the backdrop of the June 16 youth day commemoration in South Africa that recognizes the role of young people in the Soweto uprising in South Africa in 1976. It features Zambia's Honorable Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, Fumba Chama and reflects on his transition from the creative arts and civic space to leadership in government. We put a spotlight on how he continues to engage CSOs in his new role as a government official.
This episode unpacks the 2023 Freedom in the World Report. Freedom in the World is a yearly survey and report by the U.S.-based non-governmental organization Freedom House that measures the degree of civil liberties and political rights in every nation and significant related and disputed territories around the world. Tiseke Kasambala, the Africa Programs Director at Freedom House, joins us to discuss the key findings of the report, paying particular attention to the Southern Africa Region.
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