African Universities Hub for Human Rights and UNESCO Chair 2025 Symposium Strengthening universities’ role in the protection of HRDs

The African Universities Hub for Human Rights in partnership with the UNESCO Chair for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the Expansion of Political Space, and the UWC’s Chair on Citizenship and Democracy, will host a two-day symposium at the University of the Western Cape for universities and civil society actors involved in the protection of human rights. The symposium, scheduled for October 14th and 15th, aims to explore key challenges, emerging research, and practices by universities that host human rights defenders or play other roles in the protection of human rights. The symposium brings together universities and civil society organisations involved in the protection of human rights to reflect on challenges, emerging research, and practices in hosting and supporting human rights defenders (HRDs). It aims to 

1. Deepen understanding of the evolving role of universities in this work, 
2. Introduce the Guidelines for Universities Hosting Human Rights Defenders, and 
3. Explore how universities in Africa can collaborate (with civil society) to build sustainable protection systems 
4. Develop principles and steps for developing a community of practice comprising universities and civil society involved in protection work in Africa.

The symposium occurs amid rising threats to HRDs and shrinking civic space, providing a crucial platform for African actors to share experiences, build networks, and develop joint strategies for human rights protection. Protection systems in many countries have weakened over time due to under-resourcing and a lack of continuous learning and adaptation. Universities and civil society can collaborate on academic research, report production, and offering protection resources. 

The symposium will explore principles and steps needed to establish a community of practice that promotes learning and continuous improvement in protecting HRDs. This aligns with the Africa Hub’s long-term goal of empowering universities to actively support HRDs through fellowships, research, and other initiatives.