Ismail Mahomed Centre for Human and People’s Rights

Overview

Ismail Mahomed Centre for Human and Peoples’ Rights (IMCHPR) is a university-based research and advocacy Centre that was established in the School of Law, University of Venda (UNIVEN) in 2001 with the aim of promoting social justice and human rights culture. Following the restructuring of Schools, it is now situated in the Faculty of Management Commerce and Law. As an independent institution, the IMCHPR aims at addressing poverty, discrimination, environmental injustice. The research thrusts/niche areas in the context of social justice and human rights are climate change, biodiversity loss, customary law, extractives and sustainability, and people living in vulnerable conditions. The IMCHPR seeks to achieve its goal by promoting social justice and fostering human rights through research, advocacy, training and lobbying in response to global, regional and national issues affecting Africa in general and South Africa in particular. The IMCHPR engages in community engagement, national and international collaborative research projects.

The centre’s functional hallmarks are inter alia:

• Conducting and publishing research outputs on the interface of sustainability and climate justice with human rights law field using multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary approaches.
• Conducting human rights, social and environmental justice advocacy and campaigns relating to vulnerable populations at community, national and reginal levels.
• Mobilizing and capacitating grassroots community members on social justice and environmental justice issues linked to human rights law
• Forming partnerships with relevant and strategic partners and potential funders, both locally and internationally, for the purpose of research and scholarship development
• Publishing a newsletter and journal on activities and research niche areas
• Developing other local, regional and international linkages for the benefit of the University

Vision

To be a leading Centre, impactful both locally and regionally in research and advocacy on the interface of social & environmental justice issues with the field of human rights law

Mission

To produce, advance, and disseminate innovative and evidence-based research outputs on the interface of social & environmental justice issues with the field of human rights law

To carry out campaigns, advocacy of innovative ideas through scholarly publications, public conferences, seminars, workshops and training on the interface of social & environmental justice issues with the field of human rights law