Professor Willene Holness of UKZN’s School of Law and Dr Meda Couzens, senior lecturer at Western Sydney University’s Faculty of Law and an Honorary Research Fellow at UKZN presented a paper at the International Children’s Rights Conference in Stellenbosch.
The paper titled: “An Early Appraisal of the Western Cape Commissioner for Children (WCCC) as a Sub-National Children’s Rights Institution”, offered an analysis of the WCCC – a unique institution that is solely dedicated to the protection and promotion of children’s rights.
The paper explored pressing issues such as violations of children’s rights in health, education, social development, access to justice and compared the WCCC to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to highlight its distinct role.
‘We wanted to place the WCCC within the web of human rights institutions and this analysis was crucial to understand its potential and limitations, especially as a sub-national entity in a country that is still shaping its approach to children’s rights protection,’ said Holness
The presentation focused on several key aspects of the WCCC’s powers, with the early assessment identifying several strengths, including its legal guarantees, accessibility to children, and its facilitation of child participation in decision-making processes. It also highlighted areas for improvement.
‘There is a need for greater clarity around the WCCC’s complaints mandate, recruitment of legally qualified staff to handle its investigative powers, and the implementation of measures to enhance the robustness of the institution,’ noted Holness.
As the first academic study of its kind on the WCCC, Holness and Couzens’ research serves as a critical resource for the children’s rights community.
‘This study is important because it shows how the WCCC can be utilised to its full potential and provides insights for sub-national human rights institutions, which are still in the early stages of development globally. It also situates it within international law and the global context,’ said Holness.
In attendance were also staff members from the School of Law, Professor Brigitte Clark, Professor Ann Strode, Ms Simone Gray and Dr Juanita Easthorpe whom also presented their papers centred around children’s rights.
Words: Ayanda Radebe
Photograph: Supplied
