UNION FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Issued by: Ministry of Justice
The European Union Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa was officially launched today (10 September 1996) at a ceremony in KwaMahlanga, in the former KwaNdebele, where the Minister of Justice, Mr A M Omar, MP, formally announced the names of the members which have now been appointed to the Supervisory Board of the Foundation. The Foundation comprises a Supervisory Board and a Programme Management Unit.
The members of the Foundation's Supervisory Board, appointed by Mr Omar on the recommendation of NGO's are Ms Dolly Mokgatle, Ms Louis Asmal, Brother Jude, Judge Siraj Desai and Mr James Yekiso. Mr Vusi Pikoli will be the representative of the Department of Justice, while Mr Richard Zink will act as the EU observer in the Board.
The European Union Foundation for Human Rights has been created under the auspices of the European Union Human Rights Programme (EUHRP) signed in February 1996 by President Mandela and the European Union Commissioner responsible for South Africa, Professor Joao de Deus Pinheiro.
The Foundation is an independent legal entity which will implement, over the next three years, a R86 million EUHRP-grant to the benefit of those who have historically being denied access to basic Human Rights. In particular, it will target those living in informal urban and rural settlements, those who have been dispossessed of their land and housing as well as prisoners. Specific attention will be given to women and children.
The Foundation will run the EU Human Rights Programme exclusively through the mediation of South African NGO's and will be utilised to strengthen their capacities to promote Human Rights in South Africa.
The event was attended by the European Union Ambassador, H E Erwan Fouere who emphasised the importance of Human Rights issues for the European Parliament and representatives from the fifteen European Union member States. At the ceremony, both Ms G Kinnock (MEP) and Ambassador Fouere emphasised the importance of Human Rights issues for the European Union, especially in its relation with third countries.
The EU Human Rights Programme forms part of the 1995 European Programme for Reconstruction and Development (ERPRD) under which R593 million (in grants) is committed to the reconstruction and development process currently underway in South Africa. Similar amounts will be extended to South Africa on a yearly basis until 1999 and will be used to uplift the key sectors of good governance and democracy, health, education and training, rural and urban development, economic cooperation, trade and investment promotion.
Applications for funding may be submitted, with effect from mid September, to the Foundation. Additional information on the EU Human Rights Programme and on the Foundation can be obtained from the Foundation's Programme Management Unit in Pretoria at tel: (012) 3423147/8; fax: (012) 3429059.
ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE.
PRETORIA 10 SEPTEMBER 1996
Enquiries: Christine Thompson (012) 464319