Today, 10 December 2025, marks International Human Righs Day. To commemorate the day, Daily Maverick has published an op-ed written by SERI's Boitumelo Mabogoane entitled, "SA must protect the work of legal advocacte and turn rights into reality." The op-ed situates South Africa’s human rights journey within the broader history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and examines the role of public-interest legal services organisations in advancing human rights, particularly at a time when civic space is shrinking, misinformation is rising, and human rights defenders face increasing hostility.
"Public interest legal services organisations have used the law as a vehicle for change, ensuring that the voices of everyday South Africans are reflected in the policies that affect their daily lives. However, despite their importance, the work of these organisations has increasingly become contested or perceived as a threat. They and the movements they support bear the brunt of the hostility from both the state and some sectors of society," she writes
>> Read the op-ed here.