Programmes and Activities

The five programme areas are Democracy and Governance, Rule of Law Read more, Human Rights, International Affairs and Organizational Development.

Democracy and Governance

Strategic Objectives

To have elections that allow for free expression of citizens, yielding results [that] are respected; To contribute to greater transparency and accountability in public institutions; and To contribute towards strengthening of institutions of democracy and governance

Current Activities

Country Assessments on Democracy and Good Governance; High Level Advocacy Missions on the Democratisation and Electoral Processes; Election Monitoring and Observation; Monitoring of human rights, Democratic Development in the SADC region.

 

Rule of Law

Strategic Objectives

To contribute towards the strengthening of and independence and accountability of the judiciary institutions in SADC; and To contribute towards the credibility of the legal profession in the SADC

Current Activities

Advocacy on the reinstatement and strengthening of the SADC Tribunal; and Building Capacity of Lawyers to utilise supra-national Tribunals or Courts

Human Rights

Strategic Objectives

To contribute to laws / practices that allow higher degree of participation of women in social, economic, political sectors in the SADC; To contribute towards SADC minimum conditions of prisons & rights of prisoners; To have the rights of human rights defenders protected by national laws, policies and institutions.

Current Activities

Country Studies/Assessments on Human Rights; Training of Lawyers on Human Rights; Litigation on human rights cases of public interest; Development of and advocacy for the adoption of the SADC Standard Minimum Guidelines for the Treatment and Management of Detainees;/ Learning and Sharing Experiences on Management of Prisons in the SADC Countries; and/ Advocacy for the Rights of Prisoners,

 

International Affairs

Strategic Objectives

To be part of the knowledge base that guides law societies on EPAs protocol; To have standards of practice of law in the SADC region that create a basis for harmonization; and To have a mechanism that compels SADC countries to respect / implement tribunal verdicts.

 

Organizational Development

Strategic Objectives

  • To be the first port of call on local and regional legal policy reform;
  • To have long-term strategic partners that provide adequate financial resources for SADC LA to meet all its operational / programmatic demands; and
  • To have a fully functional secretariat that can effectively implement SADC strategy.

Current Activities

  • Strengthening Individual and Institutional Membership of SADC-LA;
  • Strengthening the capacity of SADC-LA staff, councillors and members to implement the Association’s mandate;
  • Building Strategic Partnerships;
  • Fundraising.