human rights principles
Learn the foundations of human rights and explore issues of discrimination and xenophobia.
Our Peer Educators Programme screens, interviews, trains, and empowers diverse young individuals from various communities in the nation. These individuals play a crucial role by identifying needs and sources of conflict in their communities, which then inform AU’s interventions and actions. This initiative also promotes social cohesion and government advocacy to stop the spread of migrant and refugee discrimination by empowering young leaders to educate their communities about human rights.
Specifically with regards to social cohesion, AU and our peer educators work to create opportunities for ongoing social interaction between people from diverse backgrounds. By facilitating relationships and understanding between different groups, we foster a culture of unity and respect among community members.
In the realm of government advocacy, AU and our peer educators engage in lobbying and targeting government structures, individuals, and civil society to advance the construction of a social and political environment in which the rights of South African nationals and non-nationals are promoted and protected. Through targeted advocacy efforts, AU and our peer educators seek to create a more inclusive and rights-conscious society for all.
Applications to become a peer educator are accepted between September and November. All those accepted attend an intensive 5-day human rights training workshop which aims to teach young adults about human rights, through social cohesion and government advocacy. Peer educators are then expected to take their knowledge back to their respective communities and disseminate the information to their peers in their schools, churches, places of employment, and organizations. Peer educators are also expected to attend monthly meetings at AU headquarters to refresh their knowledge and report on progress in their communities.
Learn the foundations of human rights and explore issues of discrimination and xenophobia.
Practice social cohesion through conflict resolution, dialogue, and relationship‑building activities.
Develop advocacy skills, plan community action, and learn how to engage government and civil society.
Closing reflections and commitments: each participant outlines how they will disseminate knowledge in schools, churches, workplaces, and organizations.
Explore the principles of human rights, understand discrimination and xenophobia, and build trust among diverse participants.
Learn conflict resolution skills, engage in dialogue exercises, and strengthen relationships across cultural and social divides.
Gain advocacy tools, practice lobbying strategies, and design community action plans to promote inclusion and protect rights.
Join Africa Unite’s Peer Educators Programme and gain the skills to lead change in your community. Through a 3‑day training, you’ll learn human rights, social cohesion, and advocacy, and take that knowledge back to schools, churches, workplaces, and organizations.
Monthly meetings at AU headquarters keep you connected, refreshed, and supported as you report progress and strengthen your impact.
Our community interventions are guided by extensive research, outreach campaigns, insights from peer educators, and community input from dialogues. This process begins with the formulation of profiles detailing the culture, dynamics, challenges, and potential courses of action in each community. We then hold dialogues similar to townhalls, to which all in the community are invited and can have their voices be heard.
Through these profiles and dialogues, AU implements a wide range of interventions, including government lobbying campaigns, infrastructure improvements, skills training programmes, and therapeutic support groups. These initiatives aim to promote social cohesion, address community challenges, and empower residents to create further positive change on their own in the future.
Some examples of AU community interventions include:
Thank you so much for having me as an intern these last few months. You all have made such an incredible impact on my life and understanding of human rights work. I am so excited to use the knowledge and skills I have gained here while I further my schooling and eventually my career. Thank you for being such wonderful bosses, colleagues, and comrades. You’re the best!
I think this experience has been very formative and enriching for me. Being away from home has allowed me to see new things and develop my opinions. I would not hesitate to recommend South Africa and Africa Unite to my friends in French Guiana.
I want to thank everyone here at Africa Unite for making this such an impactful experience. The work you are all doing is quite inspiring, and I have learned so much from you all. I hope I get the opportunity to come back and work with such an amazing group of people
Africa Unite is building bridges between communities by tackling xenophobia and promoting dialogue. Through skills‑sharing and conflict mediation, we foster unity, respect for diversity, and lasting social cohesion.
One of our primary goals is to build communities that are conflict-free, that enhance social cohesion, and that promote socioeconomic development. Xenophobic attacks in KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg highlight ongoing blame towards asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants for socio-economic difficulties. It is concerning that young people are often at the forefront of these violent attacks.
Research indicates that those who are more discriminatory, racist, or xenophobic often have less meaningful interactions with diverse groups. To counter this, AU has developed a nationwide skills-sharing programme to facilitate dialogue and interaction between skilled foreign nationals and local communities, especially in disadvantaged areas. This programme aims to reduce xenophobic tendencies by fostering understanding and respect for diversity. Additionally, we have initiated a Conflict Mediation Programme targeting communities Nyanga, Europe Township, and Philippi, all located in the Gugulethu District.
Programme activities include business skills sharing, financial savings schemes, language teaching and learning (e.g., Swahili lessons with SAPS), and mathematics and science tutoring.
AU aims to develop a conflict mediation and skills-sharking model that can be replicated in other parts of South Africa, fostering a stronger national sense of peace and tolerance. The programme involves various community stakeholders, including school and church leaders, trade associations, business forums, youth groups, gang leaders, spaza shop owners, SAPS, local government, and civil society organizations. These stakeholders play a crucial role in identifying and addressing conflicts that impact communities.Top of Form
These activities promote tolerance and respect for diversity, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among communities regardless of age, gender, or nationality. By providing opportunities for meaningful interaction, we aim to create a more inclusive and cohesive society in South Africa.
The objectives of these two programmes are to:
Your voice matters. Join Africa Unite in shaping a future of leadership, justice, and unity. Reach out now and be part of the movement for change.
