News
May 26, 2022
Rights & Remedies Course 2022: Call for nominations
The Centre for Environmental Rights is excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 6th edition of our annual Environmental Rights & Remedies Course for environmental justice activists.
WHEN: 5 – 24 September 2022
WHERE: Cape Town
HOW: To apply or nominate someone for this course, download the Call for Nominations form: The closing date is 1 July 2022.
This year, in addition to providing participants with legal remedies to defend their human rights, we will also enable our activists to effectively participate in the biggest conversation about the future of environmental and climate justice: the Just Transition.
Participants will leave the course with a thorough understanding of Just Transition concepts. Activists will be empowered to articulate arguments for a Just Transition that take into consideration the needs of communities previously and currently affected by environmental degradation and pollution from industrial operations.
The course includes practical training outcomes, imparting legal knowledge, equipping participants with the skills necessary to facilitate engagement with government and industry. This includes the use of statutory remedies (e.g. writing complaint and objection letters, reporting environmental violations, and using access to information laws).
Participants will also engage in a range of practical sessions on topics ranging from organising stakeholder meetings and media engagement to effective presentation skills and record-keeping.
“Over the past five years, more than 80 activists have graduated from this course, many of whom have gone on to become leaders for the environmental and climate justice movement in South Africa. Participants leave the course with new knowledge, skills and part of a network of activists. This gives participants the confidence to take on big corporations and powerful government officials,” says Matome Kapa, Programme Head: Activist Support and Training at CER.
The Environmental Rights & Remedies Course forms a key component of CER’s activist support and training work and is developed in response to demand from community partners for rights training. The course builds on existing initiatives like groundWork’s Environmental Justice School that empowers participants from rural and urban areas ,who bear the environmental and socio-economic brunt of polluting industries operating close to their homes and places of work.
We are inviting nominations of prospective participants to the course from community-based organisations, civil society, and activists in the environmental and climate justice movement, especially youth and women.
To apply or nominate someone for this course, download the Call for Nominations: Environmental Rights and Remedies – a training course for activists. The closing date is 1 July 2022.
For enquiries, please contact Matome Kapa on [email protected]