Country detail - yourHRC.org

South Africa

Regional group:

African Group (AG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Working Group on Situations (2017, 2018)
OHCHR presence:	Regional Office
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Ad hoc

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; The role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights; Eliminating inequality within and among States for the realization of human rights; The central role of the State in responding to pandemics and other health emergencies; The right to social security; Equal pay; Elimination of discrimination against women and girls in sport; United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas; and The need for an integrated approach to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for the full realisation of human rights.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, South Africa has (in the absence of consensus) abstained during voting on every item 4 resolution (situations that require the Council’s attention) except two (a 2016 resolution on Iran and a 2017 resolution on Burundi – South Africa voted against both). South Africa has never voted in favour of an item 4 resolution on a country-specific situation. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), South Africa has almost always voted in favour, with the two exceptions being 2016 resolutions on human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan and Israeli settlements (South Africa abstained on both). On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), South Africa has joined consensus on most resolutions, abstaining from seven and voting in favour of two; it did not vote against any resolution under item 10. For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, South Africa has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has nearly always voted in favour (abstaining from five resolutions). Notwithstanding, South Africa has voted against: 2015, 2016 and 2017 resolutions on the effects of terrorism; a 2016 resolution on civil society space; a 2015 resolution on preventing and countering violent extremism; a 2014 resolution on peaceful protests; and a 2009 resolution on religious discrimination. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, South Africa has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, all adopted texts, except for a 2015 resolution on the protection of the family (which it voted against).

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

262

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

114

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on extreme poverty, 2008

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

ICCPR
3 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012, 2017)

Mid-term report

Level of delegation

Deputy Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 72 / 192

2^nd cycle: 100 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2024)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 16

South Africa tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2017-2019 on 25 October 2016.

In the document, South Africa does not make concrete pledges and commitments, but it affirms that it is in the process of: acceding to the OP-CAT, the ICESCR-OP, the CED, the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons; the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness; and the CMW; as well to report to the Treaty Bodies. It also affirms remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that the United Nations human rights system adopts the four requisite additional protocols to the CERD, and to contribute financially to the OHCHR.

An analysis of steps taken by South Africa in fulfilment of its international level pledges shows that South Africa has indeed acceded to the OP-CAT, but is yet to ratify the ICESCR-OP, the CED, the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, and the CMW. South Africa submitted its periodic reports under four of the 7 ratified core conventions (the CCPR report is overdue by two years). South Africa has not made any recent voluntary contributions to OHCHR.

South Africa

African Group (AG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 72 / 192

2nd cycle: 100 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 16

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 72 / 192

2^nd cycle: 100 / 192