South Africa Human Rights

  • Who?Groups of 3 -10 students aged 18+
  • When? Projects have flexible dates and run all year round
  • Where? Cape Town, South Africa.
Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons in South Africa
Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons in South Africa

On our Human Rights placement, your group will be working alongside Theodore Kamwimbi, one of the country's most experienced lawyers, who has worked with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the International Centre for Transitional Justice. Your skills will be put to good use working with marginalised communities in Cape Town alongside qualified and passionate individuals who will vastly increase your knowledge of Human Rights, campaigning, community involvement, the legal system and the politics of governance. You’ll be given the opportunity to expand your horizons whilst also making a real impact on people’s quality of life.

Your group should expect to work from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday on tasks as varied as researching human rights cases, conducting legal consultations, monitoring prisons and refugee camps, preparing parliamentary submissions and much more! You'll also be encouraged to make good use of the local media by writing articles on social themes, or even participating in radio debates.

Your work placement and host family will be based in the bustling cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, close to the southern tip of the African continent. By living and working in these mixed-race communities you'll start to understand the complexities of South Africa's past and present. Five times the size of Great Britain, South Africa has a diversity of lifestyles and environments and is a thriving and lively destination in which to spend time volunteering abroad.