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Assisting poor and marginalised groups to realise an adequate standard of living
Developing housing rights and basic services jurisprudence.
Ensuring pro-poor legal and policy frameworks and developing socio-economic rights jurisprudence
Ensuring pro-poor legal and policy frameworks and developing socio-economic rights jurisprudence

Conferences and Events

  • Regional consultation on security of tenure for the urban poor to be held in Johannesburg by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, 27-28 May 2013. On 27 and 28 May 2013, SERI is co-hosting a regional consultation in Johannesburg on "Security of Tenure for the Urban Poor", together with the Ford Foundation, the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Raquel Rolnik. The consultation will be attended by government, civil society, academic and professional representatives from South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Madagascar, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda. During 2013, the Special Rapporteur is focusing on developing guidelines on security of tenure, specifically focused on the urban poor and in particular those living in informal settlements. By the end of 2013, she will submit to the UN Human Rights Council her report and recommendations, which will stem from the consultations and research conducted in 2013. For more information on the study on security of tenure and related reports see here.
  • SERI co-hosts strategic planning meeting on enforcement of Endorosis decision, 12 November 2012. On 12 November 2012, SERI co-hosted a strategic planning meeting on “Enforcing the Endorois decision of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights” with ESCR-Net, CEMIRIDE, Minority Rights Group International and the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) at the University of Oslo. The strategic meeting was held in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • SERI co-hosts Wits University's Public Interest Law Gathering (PILG) from 11-13 July 2012. SERI co-hosted the 2012 PILG, which was held at Wits University from 11-13 July 2012. SERI organised several panels, including one on socio-economic rights and courts, and one on law and social change. Read more on the event here. 
  • SERI co-hosts Africa Regional Social Rights Litigation Workshop, 12-14 March 2012. SERI - together with ESCR-Net, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) and OP-ICESCR Coalition - hosted the Africa Regional Social Rights Litigation Workshop from 12-14 March 2012 in Johannesburg. The first day of the workshop focused on strategic litigation: challenges and opportunities; the second day focuses on enforcement and long-term strategies in national contexts: challenges and opportunities; and the third day on OP-ICESCR ratification: building a regional strategy in Africa. Read the workshop programme here.
  • SERI organises and hosts three panels at Public Interest Law Gathering, 1-3 December 2011. The University of the Witwatersrand hosted the Public Interest Law Gathering from 1-3 December 2011. SERI organised and hosted a panel on law and social movements, chaired by Jackie Dugard (SERI), which included S’bu Zikode (Abahlali baseMjondolo) and Stuart Wilson (SERI) as discussant, as well as Siphiwe Segodi and Bhayi Bhayi Miya (Thembelihle Crisis Committee), and Teboho Mosikili (SERI) as discussant. Another panel on housing litigation was chaired by Heidi Barnes (Johannesburg Bar) with Stuart Wilson (SERI), Morgan Courtenay (CALS) and Sheldon Magardie (LHR) as panellists. The third panel was on basic water and sanitation, and included Jenny MacLeod (SERI) and Linda Stewart (North West University). Read more on the event here.
  • SERI presents at COP17 side event, 30 November 2011. SERI's Executive Director, Jackie Dugard, presented on a panel at a side event at COP17, currently being held in Durban. The side event was on Gender, Justice and Social Learning. For coverage of the panel and information on the presenters see here. For more about COP17 side events see here.
  • SERI attends Ford Foundation's 75th Anniversary event. SERI's Executive Director, Jackie Dugard, was invited to be on the opening panel of Ford Foundation's 75th Anniversary event, which was held in New York City from 20-21 September 2011. Read more here.
  • SERI participates in judicial workshop on socio-economic rights in Kenya, 27-29 January 2011. SERI’s director of litigation, Stuart Wilson, together with Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron and Advocate Howard Varney, addressed a group of Kenyan judges and lawyers on South Africa’s experiences in litigating and adjudication of socio-economic rights and the right of access to information. The presentation was part of an International Commission of Jurists workshop for Judges and Magistrates held in Naivasha, Kenya. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the impact of the inclusion of socio-economic rights and the right of access to information in Kenya’s new Constitution. A copy of the paper forming the basis of SERI’s presentation (co-authored by Jackie Dugard) is available here.
  • Ford Foundation Right to Housing Convening, 14 - 16 September 2010. SERI was invited by the Ford Foundation to organise a three-day right to housing convening of Ford Foundation grantees and experts from different regions working on the right to housing. Representives from organisations based in Egypt, India, Nigeria, South Africa and the United States attended the conference. The aim was for those working on right to housing issues in various countries to discuss common problems and solutions, thereby contributing towards better coordination, networking and relationship building. The programme is available here and a comprehensive report on the conference is available here.