Eight years celebration of Social-Economic Justice for All
The Foundation of Human Rights has helped over 12 million beneficiaries.
Twelve million beneficiaries have been helped since the launch of the Social-Economic Justice for All (Seja) Programme.
The programme was initiated in partnership with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ and CD) and the European Union (EU) in 2014. Seja is based on values enshrined in the Constitution and advocates for a rights-based approach and seeks to empower people to claim their rights and hold the government accountable.
Representatives of the Foundation of Human Rights (FHR) and various human rights organisations gathered to celebrate and discuss Seja’s eight years of existence on March 14 at Southern Sun in Rosebank.
According to FHR executive director Dr Zaid Kimmie, “Seja was a timely intervention – a means of supporting civil society and recognising its critical role as a defender of constitutional democracy at a time when it was most needed.
“It represented an effective collaboration between the European Union and the South African government that recognised the survival of SA’s hard-won constitutional democracy and resourced civil society.”
John Jeffery, deputy minister of the justice department said their long-term goal with Seja was making sure the civil society sector was active and able to play a proper role in protecting our constitutional democracy.
Minister of Cooperative Governance and the Department of Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng said she had lost a sister during apartheid. Nkadimeng said there were no proper investigations until she got help from the Foundation of Human Rights. The foundation helped her to look for lawyers which helped further the process.
Jeffery concluded his speech by saying constitutional rights could exist on paper only, they needed to become the living reality of people in their daily lives.
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