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UN rapporteur Mary Lawlor highlights women’s voices amid human rights struggles in South Africa

UN rapporteur Mary Lawlor highlights women’s voices amid human rights struggles in South Africa
Mary Lawlor’s visit included families affected by the expansion of the Tendele Coal Mine, 85km northwest of Richards Bay. (Image; Ed O’Donovan)
Naledi Sikhakhane
By Naledi Sikhakhane
28 Nov 2024
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Human rights defenders from across South Africa shared their fears and victories with Mary Lawlor, the UN Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, who was on a self-initiated visit to the country.

The UN Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, wrapped up her academic visit at The Galleria in Sandton as the keynote speaker during the seventh Human Rights Defenders Summit on Monday and Tuesday, where more than 250 rights organisations from southern Africa and beyond were represented.

Daily Maverick joined her for part of her packed South African itinerary, which included a visit to Mtubatuba to meet members of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO) and families affected by the expansion of the Tendele Coal Mine, consultation with members of land rights movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and other organisations on Sunday and a visit to one of Abahlali’s branches.

In an interview with Daily Maverick on Tuesday Lawlor said though she has not had time to analyse the information from her meetings and one-on-one sessions with activists, she was in awe of the work done by people facing extraordinary repression and violence. Top of mind was the significance of elevating women’s voices in human rights organisations and beyond. She commended organisations such as Abahlali baseMjondolo for their resilience and the structures they have built from the ground up.

‘Pervasive, ongoing abuse’ of women


Lawlor drew comparisons with Angola, which she visited before South Africa: “Unsurprisingly you find the same sort of issues – for example, women human rights defenders face human rights violations on account of their gender, they face the same violations as men but [also] specific abuses such as rape, sexual violence, being called bad mothers. In Angola we even had a suggestion of witchcraft. The issue of LGBT defenders is a difficult issue both in Angola and South Africa [with the] pervasive, ongoing abuse that they face, and the fact that even in human rights organisations they are not taken seriously.”

Lawlor cited a meeting with human rights defenders where mostly men presented the conditions human rights defenders face in their communities. She had suggested a woman also speak and have a woman translate for her.

In a meeting between Lawlor and the leaders of more than 15 rights organisations in Durban, Abahlali baseMjondolo general secretary Nomusa Sizani said that after years of struggling for access to land, housing and decent living conditions she feels her hands are tied by the repression the movement faces. Sunday’s meeting was followed by a visit to the Cato Crest informal settlement in Durban, an Abahlali baseMjondolo stronghold.

“My children ask me all the time, ‘mom, why don’t you just stop because you are also putting our lives at risk?’” Sizani said. Her family had called a meeting to beg her to stop, out of fear for her life. They had already lost Sizani’s son, Samuel Hloele, who was shot dead during an eviction in 2017.

Lawlor said this was why it was important for women to share their stories, because there is an extra layer of responsibility, strength and vulnerability that women human rights defenders have. 

human rights defenders UN Raporteur Mary Lawlor visits land rights movement Abahlali baseMjondolo in Cato Crest, Durban. (Photo: Ed O’Donovan)



She commended organisations such as the African Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders for facilitating and hosting her academic visit to Angola and South Africa.

Lawlor, who assumed the UN Rapporteur role in 2020, is an adjunct professor of business and human rights with the Centre for Social Innovation in the School of Business at Trinity College Dublin. She has worked extensively with and on the situation of human rights defenders. In 2001 she founded Front Line Defenders, or the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, to focus on rights defenders at risk. She was executive director from 2001 to 2016 and had a key role in its development.

Lawlor said the purpose of the human rights defenders summit is to share ideas, create networks and share the vision of equality, justice and “the things that need to be done right, the laws, the policies, and the procedures. Of course everyone has heard the issues before and will hear them again but to be able to come together and get even a couple of new ideas is valuable to me. One of the people I am impressed by is Nigel Branken, from Neighbours, he is doing incredibly hard work with the anti-racism and anti-xenophobic, the almost destruction of his way of living and the effect on his kids and himself and yet he continues to do the work.” 

Environmental justice 


Air and noise pollution, cracked houses, livestock dying are among the impacts of coal mines in KwaZulu-Natal areas – from Mtubatuba to Newcastle – where Lawlor heard from environmental activists in mining-affected villages. They blame the violence on corporations that want to continue business in the area. 

Mbhekiseni Mavuso is in hiding because he fears being killed over his efforts to stop Indian giant Jindal Mine from opening an open cast iron ore mine in Ntembeni, near iShowe. He and a fellow activist were attacked earlier in 2024. He survived but his colleague died.

Organisations such as Amadiba Crisis Committee and MCEJO too listed their fears.

Somkhele is operated by Tendele Coal Mining, a subsidiary of Petmin, and produces high-quality metallurgical anthracite and energy coal. It is 85km northwest of Richards Bay. (Photo: Ed O’Donovan)



In a session focused on environmental justice at the summit, activists described the impact of fighting against corporations, saying they are surveilled and followed, and they fear their phones will be intercepted. Many people present had moved from their neighborhoods to stay safe.

Facilitators helped people recognise how they feel and come up with practical strategies for environmental justice.

Mary Lawlor’s visit included families affected by the expansion of the Tendele Coal Mine, 85km northwest of Richards Bay. (Image; Ed O’Donovan)


‘What can you do for us?’


Lawlor was asked by an activist: “After this discussion what can you do for us?” She responded that she cannot save everyone but will work with individuals, especially severe cases, to help protect defenders.

Lawlor has sent numerous formal letters to the South African government, specifically the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which is responsible for responding to her official country visit requests. She has asked that she be allowed to have an official country visit which will allow her to compile a report that can be used by relevant stakeholders in the United Nations and Human Rights Council. 

Only one letter has been responded to and Lawlor is hoping for a response in early 2025, so she can plan her visit in the same year. 

Lawlor now heads to Ghana and will follow up with all defenders with whom she had one-on-one meetings to “see how we can assist and draw attention to their cases before trials or other significant moments”.

Because this was not an official but a self-initiated visit, the actions the UN Rapporteur can take are limited. DM

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