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Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu

This master's thesis addresses the challenge of ineffective enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa, focusing on the right of refugees to seek and enjoy asylum and undergo a fair refugee status determination procedure. The dissertation proposes a solution through the exploration of public inte...

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Main Author: Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
Other Authors: Khan, Fatima
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Public Law 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
author2 Khan, Fatima
author_browse Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
Khan, Fatima
author_facet Khan, Fatima
Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
author_sort Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
collection Thesis
description This master's thesis addresses the challenge of ineffective enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa, focusing on the right of refugees to seek and enjoy asylum and undergo a fair refugee status determination procedure. The dissertation proposes a solution through the exploration of public interest litigation (PIL) as a method to support refugees in asserting their rights. The central argument posits that enforcing refugee rights through PIL aligns with the African philosophy of Ubuntu, emphasizing interconnectedness and humanity. The thesis contends that PIL, deeply rooted in Ubuntu, can serve as a catalyst for change, fostering a compassionate and inclusive approach to refugee protection in South Africa. The dissertation examines the compatibility between Ubuntu and human rights principles, showcasing Ubuntu as a persuasive tool in PIL cases advocating for refugee rights. The thesis challenges critiques against the applicability of Ubuntu in a legal setting and advocates for acknowledging its potential to serve as a foundation for public morality. Utilizing Ubuntu as an interpretive instrument creates opportunities to incorporate a wide range of human rights into legal discussions, offering a guiding structure for addressing persistent disputes concerning justice. By invoking Ubuntu in PIL, legal practitioners can safeguard constitutional rights while promoting broader public interest and transformative societal change. The research delves into the provisions of international refugee law and domestic South African law, enriched by a comprehensive review of various published articles, journals, and case law related to PIL concerning access to refugee status determination procedures in South Africa. The thesis concludes by asserting that through justice, empathy, and solidarity, the enforcement of refugee rights becomes a manifestation of South African societal values. By embracing the spirit of Ubuntu, South Africa has the potential to emerge as a beacon of hope and a model for effective refugee protection globally
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:34:17.944Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Department of Public Law
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40787 Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu Baldauf, Marie Charlotte Khan, Fatima Public Law This master's thesis addresses the challenge of ineffective enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa, focusing on the right of refugees to seek and enjoy asylum and undergo a fair refugee status determination procedure. The dissertation proposes a solution through the exploration of public interest litigation (PIL) as a method to support refugees in asserting their rights. The central argument posits that enforcing refugee rights through PIL aligns with the African philosophy of Ubuntu, emphasizing interconnectedness and humanity. The thesis contends that PIL, deeply rooted in Ubuntu, can serve as a catalyst for change, fostering a compassionate and inclusive approach to refugee protection in South Africa. The dissertation examines the compatibility between Ubuntu and human rights principles, showcasing Ubuntu as a persuasive tool in PIL cases advocating for refugee rights. The thesis challenges critiques against the applicability of Ubuntu in a legal setting and advocates for acknowledging its potential to serve as a foundation for public morality. Utilizing Ubuntu as an interpretive instrument creates opportunities to incorporate a wide range of human rights into legal discussions, offering a guiding structure for addressing persistent disputes concerning justice. By invoking Ubuntu in PIL, legal practitioners can safeguard constitutional rights while promoting broader public interest and transformative societal change. The research delves into the provisions of international refugee law and domestic South African law, enriched by a comprehensive review of various published articles, journals, and case law related to PIL concerning access to refugee status determination procedures in South Africa. The thesis concludes by asserting that through justice, empathy, and solidarity, the enforcement of refugee rights becomes a manifestation of South African societal values. By embracing the spirit of Ubuntu, South Africa has the potential to emerge as a beacon of hope and a model for effective refugee protection globally 2024-12-20T05:44:12Z 2024-12-20T05:44:12Z 2024 2024-12-20T05:41:57Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters LLM http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40787 eng application/pdf Department of Public Law Faculty of Law University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Public Law
Baldauf, Marie Charlotte
Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
title_full Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
title_fullStr Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
title_full_unstemmed Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
title_short Enforcement of refugee rights in South Africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of Ubuntu
title_sort enforcement of refugee rights in south africa through public interest litigation in the spirit of ubuntu
topic Public Law
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40787
work_keys_str_mv AT baldaufmariecharlotte enforcementofrefugeerightsinsouthafricathroughpublicinterestlitigationinthespiritofubuntu