It is crucial for political parties and candidates contesting elections to commit to ensure that the human rights of all are upheld ahead of and after this year’s general election, but the electorate must also use its power to ensure this happens, Amnesty International South Africa said today.

“Citizens need to tap into their people-power, exercise their civic responsibility and hold officials accountable in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections. The Bill of Rights guarantees your right to ‘vote in elections for any legislative body established in terms of the Constitution, and to do so in secret’.  Citizens who have registered to vote can use this right to advocate for a human rights centred government,” Amnesty International South Africa Executive Director Shenilla Mohamed said.

“It is important for them to understand their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution as well as in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Amnesty International South Africa is encouraging citizens to consider human rights when they make their mark on 29 May 2024, but it has also put together its Human Rights Manifesto focusing on 10 issues crucial for political parties and candidates to commit to, to ensure that the rights of all those who live in South Africa are upheld.

“While important progress has been made in the last 30 years, access to human rights for all remains a challenge. In recent times, the quality of service delivery has largely been weakened by corruption. This, at the expense of people living in the country who are constitutionally entitled to have their basic needs met and to live with dignity,” Shenilla Mohamed said.

To date, only one political party has signed the pledge to uphold human rights.

Report by Amnesty International