18 June 2007
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), in partnership with the
Department of Home Affairs, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
and several non-governmental and community-based structures will commemorate
World Refugee Day in Port Elizabeth on 20 June. The event will be held in Port
Elizabeth at NU1 stadium in Motherwell Township, under the theme "Promoting
Tolerance and Acceptance through Diversity"; with a public event that creates
spaces for interaction between refugees and the host community.
This year's World Refugee Day is a public call to all to uphold tolerance
and understanding by reaching out a hand of friendship and good neighbourliness
while standing in solidarity against the inhumanness of xenophobia. South
Africa is a signatory to the international legal framework on refugee
protection, such as the 1951 United Nations (UN) Convention relating to the
status of refugees, and the 1967 Protocol as well as the 1969 Organisation of
African Unity (OAU) Convention governing the specific aspects of refugee
problems in Africa. These have been further translated and found expression in
domestic legislation through the Refugees Act 130 of 1998. At the end of 2006,
South Africa hosted approximately 223 470 refugees and asylum seekers, of which
only 29 510 of these have been formally recognised as refugees. World Refugee
Day provides a formal opportunity for governments across the world to reaffirm
the values upon which international agreements of refugee protection are based.
It is also a time for all sectors of society to reflect on their role, to
examine, form and strengthen partnerships on how best to find lasting solutions
to the challenges faced by refugees.
In South Africa these challenges in the main part relate to access to
refugee documentation that enables self-reliance and access to socio-economic
services, mainly health and education. In addition to these issues, refugees
are also subject to particular hardships such as family separation,
exploitation, violence and generalised discrimination. They continue to bear
the brunt of increasing intolerance which has resulted in destruction of
property and loss of lives as happened in areas of the Eastern Cape of Duncan
Village in East London, Uitenhage, Izinyoka and more recently Motherwell in
Port Elizabeth. These issues are of serious concern to the SAHRC as they are
contrary to the spirit of our Constitution that guarantees rights to all
persons.
As a constitutionally mandated body the SAHRC works to promote and protect
the rights of all people and this includes refugees. As part of its mandate,
the SAHRC engages in community outreach work through educational initiatives
such as workshops, seminars and community dialogues, advocates and lobbies for
a rights regarding regime, builds awareness and places issues onto the public
agenda through the media, provides redress where there have been human rights
violations and monitors the implementation of policies so that people can
realise and enjoy their rights in their daily lives.
Issued by: South African Human Rights Commission
18 June 2007
Source: South African Human Rights Commission (http://www.sahrc.org.za)
