Education is key to ensuring that ordinary citizens and institutions are empowered to access the rights set out in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The objectives of this result area are:

• raising awareness and increasing knowledge;
• enabling individuals and communities to access their rights and seek assistance to protect and promote their rights;
• enabling civil society to impact meaningfully on policy making and legislation;
• developing appropriate, accessible human rights material which educates, raises awareness and contributes to a
  human rights culture.

The Foundation has supported 433 education project activities with 153 partners, aimed at ensuring a vibrant civil society
through effective outreach and awareness programmes.

The Human Rights Education Programme supports activities which include:

• Human Rights Awareness Programmes
• Human Rights Campaigns, Celebrations and Events
• Human Rights Education and Training

Human Rights Awareness Programmes
The purpose of the programme is to increase awareness and knowledge of human rights amongst South Africans and in
particular vulnerable groups. Awareness is seen as a tool to influence policy and decision-making and to enable individuals
to use and access their rights. This involves support for research and advocacy and lobbying initiatives focusing on all human
rights especially socio-economic rights.

The Foundation has embarked on a range of projects to support this including commissioning two major applied research projects in 2003. The first explored the vulnerability of women to gender-based violence and the second explored the weaknesses in the women’s sector with a view to identifying areas needing strengthening.

The Foundation supported a comprehensive review of the country’s land and agrarian policies. The review found that obstacles to reform remain the slow restitution process, inadequate land and livelihood policies and the limited amount of funds available for land restitution.

Human Rights Campaigns, Celebrations and Events
The Foundation has partnered with government in the “16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children” since 2002. This annual UN-endorsed Campaign is designed to highlight issues relating to gender-based violence and promote proactive strategies to eradicate the problem .

Over the years, national participation in the campaign has increased. The media has made commendable efforts to highlight
violence against women and children during the 16 days campaign.

The Foundation not only provides funds for the campaign, but also plays a role in disbursing corporate donations given to the
campaign.

Education and Training
The Foundation funded education projects focusing on ending violence against women and children. The Foundation also funded projects which trained trainers to deal with issues of equality, racism, sexism and xenophobia. Training included training educators to deal with racism in schools. The Foundation focused on the work of organisations that promoted the rights of children. A major feature of the current programme has been advocacy and lobbying work on the proposed Child Rights Bill.

The Foundation has supported the development of human rights training materials, documentaries, manuals and radio programmes. The new Constitution and Bill of Rights created a need to develop new materials and train trainers and community members about their rights. The Foundation has supported the development of human rights materials, particularly those developed by diverse and inclusive organisations like the CARAS Trust, the SAHRC and FAZE 2.

Projects developing human rights materials have included the production of radio programmes on the rights of women in rural areas. ABC Ulwazi has been instrumental in developing human rights education programmes packaged for community
radio stations.

The Foundation supported a project, which developed and produced human rights materials for adult learners. A manual
which updated law and policy relating to the rights of women was also funded.