Constitutions and constitutionalism: protecting the rights of all citizens (November 2004)

If, hypothetically, civic and human rights educators were forced to stop all the programmes they currently work on, and were asked to elect only to support the wide dissemination among the region's citizens, of a piece of writing that contains no more than forty words, we would hope that the first part of Article 144 of the Namibian Constitution would take such pride of place. It states:

“Unless otherwise provided for by this Constitution or Act of Parliament, the general rules of public international law and international agreements binding upon Namibia under this Constitution shall form part of the law of Namibia.”

Contents

Editorial by Tawanda Mutasah

Whose Constitution is it? Constitution making and constitutionalism in Southern Africa (by Sami Modiba and Jane Duncan)

The Justiciability of socio-economic rights in Southern Africa (by Tawanda Mutasah)

Education rights remain on paper (by Grace Kaimila-Kanjo)

Active or passive? The right to information in Southern African constitutions (by Jane Duncan)

o easy choices: constitutional versus voluntary party quotas for women in politics (by Colleen Lowe Morna)

The Protection of the right to information in SADC countries (by Collins Magalasi)

Why are we so hard on the media (by Sam Phiri)

The Right to information and constitutionalism: new issues and trends in the age of globalisation and deregulation (by Ashraf Patel)

Experiences at constitution-making processes in SADC: the Zambian exercise (by Professor Michelo Hansungule)

Organised civil society in the constitution-making process: the case of Swaziland (by Thulani Maseko)

Can traditional leaders sit comfortably in a national constitution? (by Douglas M Chipoya)

CEDAW remains on paper for Southern African women (by Alice Kwaramba)

Elections in the United States of America: Lessons for Africa and vice versa (by Dennis Kadima)

African NGOs prepare for the seventh Africa regional Beijing + 10 review (by Leya Chatta-Chipepa)

OSISA news

Policy and legislation update

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