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Socio-Economic Rights

Challenging large-scale agricultural and extractive land use that results in customary land dispossession without adequate consent, consultation and compensation, and increases poverty, environmental degradation and social inequality.

Ongoing Cases

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Socio-Economic Rights

Zambia: Corporate accountability for pollution of vital water resources and the environment

Peter Shula & 165 Others v Sino Metals Leach Zambia Limited & NFC Africa Mining Limited On 12 September 2025, 176 residents of Kalusale, Chambishi, Kalulushi District, Copperbelt Province, Zambia…
Botswana

Botswana: Indigenous San and Bayei communities fight to protect ancestral land and indigenous rights

Tawana Land Board v Botswana Khwedom Council & 10 Others The Southern Africa Litigation Centre is working with the Botswana Khwedom Council to support the San and Bayei communities in…
Kabwe mine
International Justice

South Africa / Zambia: Amicus in class action on lead poisoning by Anglo America in Zambia

On 9 May 2022, Amnesty International and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) have applied to intervene in an unprecedented class action lawsuit. The case was brought by a group…
Socio-Economic Rights

Zambia: Illegal dam construction on Munte River: Chisenga Beriat & 8 Others v Serenje Properties Limited

The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) is supporting a community that relies on the Munte River in Serenje, Zambia, in challenging the violation of their rights arising from the construction…

Completed Cases

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Botswana: Chobe Land Board v Rebeccah Banika

| Botswana, Equality Rights, Equality Rights Completed Cases, Equality Rights Women Ongoing Cases, Socio-Economic Rights, Socio-economic Rights Climate Justice, Socio-economic Rights Climate Justice Completed Cases, Socio-economic Rights Completed Cases, Socio-economic Rights Extractives, Socio-economic Rights Land Rights, Socio-Economic Rights Land Rights Completed Cases | No Comments
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre is working with the Botswana Khwedom Council to support Kgosi Rebeccah Banika, a female Chief, who challenged the decision of the Chobe Land Board to…

Unconstitutional deprivation of land: Ba-Ga-Malete Tribe contest constitutionality of Section 7 of the Tribal Territories Amendment Act No. 3 of 1973

| Botswana, Equality Rights, Equality Rights Completed Cases, Equality Rights Women, Equality Rights Women Completed Cases, Socio-Economic Rights, Socio-economic Rights Completed Cases, Socio-economic Rights Land Rights, Socio-Economic Rights Land Rights Completed Cases | No Comments
SALC is assisting the Ba-Ga-Malete Tribe, represented by Kgosi Mosadi Seboko and the Gamalete Development Trust, against the Malete Land Board and the Attorney General to retain the land known…

Eswatini: Supporting the right to protest at a university

| Civic Rights, Civic Rights Association & Assembly, Civic Rights Association & Assembly Completed Cases, Civic Rights Completed Cases, Civic Rights Expression, Civic Rights Expression Completed Cases, Eswatini, Socio-Economic Rights, Socio-economic Rights Completed Cases, Socio-economic Rights Education, Socio-Economic Rights Education Completed Cases | No Comments
SALC is concerned that the doctrine of common purpose is on occasion used by university councils to punish student leaders where damages of university property occurred during a student protest.…

Malawi: Challenging refusal of admission to school

| Civic Rights, Civic Rights Completed Cases, Civic Rights Expression, Civic Rights Expression Completed Cases, Equality Rights, Equality Rights Completed Cases, Malawi, Socio-economic Rights Completed Cases, Socio-economic Rights Education, Socio-Economic Rights Education Completed Cases | No Comments
Factual Background The applicant was refused enrolment at a school on the basis that he had dreadlocks. Over the years, there have been a number of reports of schools refusing…

Articles

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Articles

Who Benefits? Mining, Climate Justice, and the Fight for Community Voice in Malawi

The Nation (3) May Chikondi Chijozi Jere Malawi is standing at the edge of a mining boom. From the rare earth deposits at Kangankunde to the globally significant rutile discovery…
Articles

Hate speech is an assault on democracy.

Botswana Guardian (13 February 2026) *By Anna Mmolai-Chalmers  Botswana self-identifies as a democratic country, and, according to the Democracy Index, the indicators of democracy include, but are not limited to, political participation, civil liberties, good governance, and…
Articles

America First, Malawi Last? What “health cooperation” means!

The Nation Malawi (9 February 2026) *By: Dr Atilla Kisla and Bradley Fortuin. In the past 2 months, the U.S. has signed “health cooperation” Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with 15…
Articles

Botswana’s deal with the Arsonist-Firefighter

The Botswana Gazette (11 February 2026) On 23 December 2025, Botswana signed a health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. in which the U.S. pledges to contribute $106…

Resources

Articles

Jurisdiction, justice, and the journey home: The San and Bayei people’s struggle to reclaim Chief’s Island (Khuti ya ga Mathiba), their indigenous and ancestral land

Botswana Guardian Weekend Post Xtra TheMidweek Sun 30 July Madelyn Evans  To an outsider’s eye, the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana’s Northwest District appears as a lush reserve, teeming with…
Angola

CompĂŞndio de jurisprudĂŞncia sobre direitos humanos

Entre 2014 e 2024, os juĂ­zes e a comunidade jurĂ­dica que participaram no FĂłrum Regional Africano de JuĂ­zes (ARJF) discutiram vários casos que fizeram avançar os direitos humanos e a…
Civic Rights

Recueil de jurisprudence sur les droits de l’homme

Entre 2014 et 2024, les juges et la communautĂ© juridique participant au Forum rĂ©gional annuel des juges africains (FRAJ) ont discutĂ© de diverses affaires qui ont fait progresser les droits…
Civic Rights

African Regional Judges Forum human rights case law compendium

Between 2014 and 2024, the judges and legal community attending the annual African Regional Judges’ Forum (ARJF) have discussed various cases that have advanced human rights and equity across the…