Southern Africa Litigation Centre
2025 Winner
Regional
Southern Africa Litigation Centre’s Story
In a crowded conference room in Johannesburg, parliamentarians from across the region have been invited by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) to develop standards for legal reform related to prisons. What is clear, is that most individuals in the room have very little experience with the challenges facing prisoners in crowded jails, some of whom have been incarcerated for the crime of being poor and resorting to actions such as begging or sex work. Listening to a former prisoner share their story, some in the room begin to realize that with one bad stroke of luck, they too could have found themselves in a similar situation. And suddenly the idea of raising minimum standards in prisons, or decriminalizing poverty, becomes more compelling.
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre promotes and advances human rights and the rule of law in Southern Africa, primarily through strategic litigation and capacity-strengthening support to lawyers and grassroots organisations. SALC has brought forward more than 100 cases which have helped eliminate discriminatory laws in Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and other countries in the Southern African states. Based in South Africa and active in 12 countries in the region, SALC works ensure that the rule of law and human rights are respected, protected, promoted and fulfilled.
Engagement with marginalized communities is key. Marginalized people often struggle to be heard and assert their rights—and the courts can be an effective way to shift norms as you can’t protect rights systemically without legislative change. However legal changes are not enough if they are disconnected from what is happening on the ground—the messaging and follow-up are important. That’s why SALC mobilizes and unites individuals and groups, building capacity at the grass roots level and recognizing that fostering community-level support.
In addition, SALC creates opportunities for judges and state representatives—even with those who are on opposite sides of an issue—to hear directly from individuals most impacted by legal discrimination and exclusion as part of their deliberations to create standards for the region. This profound commitment stems from SALC’s abiding faith in people, rooted in evidence that hearing from people firsthand is the greatest way to change mindsets.
