Our Programmes
Access to Justice
Support to CBOs tackling rights violation cases and collective actions
Each year FHR supports Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and formations, in their human rights-based approach to addressing problems affecting communities. This Access to Justice programme helps CBOs to offer consistent and sustained support to individuals and collectives within their community. Supported CBOs offer legal advice that includes worker rights, GBV survivor support, assistance with accessing state services and grants, rights awareness workshops and activations, door-to-door visits, campaigns and more. Partner CBOs also monitor the patterns of problems arising in their communities and then organise and mobilize collaboratively for a collective approach to finding solutions:
In 2024-2025, the FHR is supporting approximately 100 CBOs with core grants to facilitate sustained community access to justice
Between 2024 and 2026 the FHR is collaborating with the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO), based in Germiston, to strengthen around 100 human rights defenders in the casual labour space. This partnership, co-funded by the EU, includes a one-week training school to strengthen knowledge and skills in worker rights, online and offline security and collective psychosocial resilience.
Between 2024 and 2025 FHR is leading a research project supported by the Mott Foundation, to assist in updating South Africa’s policy framework on access to justice so that it values, budgets for and integrates community level justice systems (include alternate dispute resolution) beyond the walls of the traditional judicial system.
Psychosocial support is integral to all FHR programmes:
Marginalised communities face many stressors, including high unemployment rates, violence, and limited access to healthcare. These factors significantly impact individuals’ mental well-being, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other psychosocial challenges. FHR prioritizes collective methods of healing and peer psychosocial support that is integrated into all processes with partners through a Do No Harm praxis.
Our Access to Justice Team
Kopano Moraka
Project Officer
Malibongwe Puzi
Programme Manager
Get in touch
For any queries related to our Access to Justice Programme