Justice Home The Constitution Flag

Media Statements

Home> Newsroom> Statements

Deputy Minster Jeffery to lead a government delegation to United Nations on South Africa’s human rights interventions

04 March 2016

The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa, Honorable John Jeffery, will lead a government delegation to present South Africa’s Initial Report to the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee in Geneva, Switzerland from 07 – 08 March 2016.

He will be accompanied by Minister of Women in the Presidency, Honorable Susan Shabangu, his counter- part from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Honorable Luwellyn Landers and government officials from various departments.

The report will cover the period from 1999 -2013 under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and it will inform the Human Rights Committee on measures taken by South African Government to ensure the protection of human rights civilians and civil society activists.

Furthermore, the delegation will outline specific measures that have been taken by government to combat incidents of racism, gender-based violence, hate speech and xenophobia and how these specific cases were dealt with and what were the outcomes.

Deputy Minister and his delegation will also brief United Nations on when the recently launched draft National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance will be finalized.

He will also reiterate South Africa’s commitment to protect the rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender and Intersex.

South African Government is looking forward to a positive engagement which will subsequently offer recommendations to ensure effective and substantive realization of civil and political rights.

For media confirmations, contact Mr Nicholas Maweni on +27 (0)82 992 1032 or NiMaweni@justice.gov.za.

Issued by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
Enquiries: Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services
0836418141
Mediaenquiries@justice.gov.za