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Seminars
Human Rights in Armed Conflicts: DRC, Sudan and Ukraine
Expert Panel Discussion on Peace Building and Justice
Date: March 4, 2025
Venue: In person Moot Court Room, University of Pretoria
https://zoom.us/j/92175340566pwd=0pecUkaFJ9PWZM592Al7O9cZacsKQN.1
Meeting ID: 921 7534 0566
Passcode: 107813
Time: 12.30 for 1 pm – 4.00pm
Event Overview
This expert panel discussion is focusing on rising violations of human rights and war crimes, with the special focus on environmental war crimes in three raging armed conflicts in DRC, Sudan and Ukraine. Through presentations of documented evidence and expert analysis, the event will illuminate current challenges in human rights protection, war crimes documentation, and paths to accountability. The discussion aims to foster meaningful dialogue between experts from different countries while sharing practical approaches to human rights protection in conflict zones.
Program
| 12.30- 13.00 | Registration |
| 13.00 – 13.40 | Opening session: Human Rights in Armed Conflict with a special focus on Environmental war crimes
Programme Moderator, Dr Michelle Maziwisa. – Lloyd Kuveya & Dzvinka Kachur – Introductions – Professor Kilele Muzaliwa, Goma University DRC– overview of the HR situation in DRC – Ms Razan Haroun– overview of the HR situation in Sudan – Dmytro Koval – overview of the HR situation in Ukraine Q&A |
| 13.40 – 14.00 | Documentation of Environmental War Crimes in Ukraine
Q&A |
| 14.00 – 14.10 | Break |
| 14.10 – 14.50 | Challenges in Defining and Documenting Environmental War Crimes(Ecocide) on the African continent
Q&A |
| 14.50 – 15.40 | Protection of Civilians, International Justice and Accountability Mechanisms
Q&A |
| 15.40 – 16.00 | Closing Session
Summary of key discussions and outline of potential cooperation initiatives. |
Discussion Focus Areas
The event will concentrate on three key areas through both Ukrainian and African perspectives:
Documentation of Systematic Violations Expert presentations will showcase current documentation methodologies, evidence collection practices, and approaches to investigating systematic human rights violations. Speakers will share practical experiences from Ukraine while exploring parallels with African contexts.
Environmental and Nuclear Security Challenges Through the cases of the Kakhovka Dam destruction and ZNPP occupation, experts will examine the environmental impact of armed conflicts and approaches to documenting environmental crimes. The discussion will include comparison with environmental challenges in African conflicts.
Protection of Civilian Population Special attention will be given to the documentation of crimes against civilians, particularly focusing on children’s rights violations and forced deportation. The discussion will examine protection mechanisms and international response strategies.
Expected Outcomes
The discussion aims to establish practical connections between the human rights violations and potential cooperation between experts on defending human rights in DRC, Sudan and Ukraine, share effective documentation methodologies, and develop frameworks for future cooperation in human rights protection.
Seminar Environmental and Nuclear Safety Threats: South Africa & Ukraine
Join us for a civil society roundtable on 6 March 2025, from 10:00 to 14:00 (SAST), either online or in person at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town.
Nuclear and environmental issues affect us all. When the Chornobyl nuclear disaster struck in 1986, the radioactive cloud circled the globe twice, with contamination reaching as far as West Africa. This catastrophe led to major reforms in nuclear safety regulations.
Today, a new and urgent challenge is unfolding in Ukraine, where the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is under military occupation—once again putting our planet’s safety at risk.
This roundtable will bring together individuals and organisations concerned about nuclear safety and the environmental impact of armed conflict.
In partnership with Project 90 by 2030, SAFCEI, Koeberg Alert, Truth Hounds, Project Expedite Justice and the Ukrainian Association of South Africa, this event will foster open discussions on:
– The environmental impact of war
– Nuclear safety risks in conflict zones
– Strategies for international monitoring and advocacy
Be part of the conversation that drives real change.RSVP at [email protected]
For online participation please register.
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE
SEMINAR: JUSTICE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: THE ICC’S ROLE IN UKRAINE AND ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
Date: 7 March 2025
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Venue in Person: Kader Asmal Moot Court, Faculty of Law, UWC
Online: https://uwc.zoom.us/meeting/register/_gzQVQKpTjKHaHCT_dtxyw#/registration
| 10.00 – 10.15 | Opening remarks
Prof Angela Van Der Berg, Director of the Global Environmental Law Centre Dzvinka Kachur, the Ukrainian Association of South Africa |
| 10.15 – 10.30 | Crimes Against the Environment: The African Continent
Dr Muyiwa Adigun, a Reader in the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Nigeria |
| 10.30 – 10.55 | Principles of Environmental Law and some perspectives on Environmental Damage
Prof Jan Glazewski, Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Law, University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa |
| 10.55 – 11.10 | ICC and policy initiative on crimes against the environment
Pascal Turlan, PEJ Legal Director, former ICC OTP |
| 11.10 -11.30 | Building the ICC Case: Destruction of Kakhovka Dam
Volodymyr Hryshko (Truth Hounds) & Myroslava Markova (PEJ) |
| 11.30- 11.45 | Coffee break |
| 11.45 – 12.00 | Prosecution Strategy Analysis of legal qualification challenges and evidence collection methodology
Dmytro Koval, Truth Hounds Co-Executive Director |
| 12.00- 12.50 | Environmental War Crimes and International Cooperation for Global Environment – Discussion
Facilitated by Prof Angela Van Der Berg, Director of the Global Environmental Law Centre |
| 12.50- 13.00 | Closing remarks
Prof John-Mark Iyi, the Director of the African Centre for Transnational Criminal Justice |
Report overview SUBMERGED: Study of the Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam and Its Impacts on Ecosystems, Agrarians, Other Civilians, and International Justice”
PRIMARY MESSAGE:
The Kakhovka Dam case represents a crucial opportunity to activate Article 8(2)(b)(iv) of the Rome Statute, setting a precedent for prosecuting environmental war crimes at the ICC.
ICC TIMING AND STRATEGY:
The submission aligns with ICC’s new policy initiative on environmental crimes, creating momentum for advancing accountability for environmental damage during armed conflicts.
Global Environmental and Human Rights: Shared Challenges for Ukraine and South Africa
Civil Society Discussion & Film Screening
Date: March 10, 2025 (Monday), Durban
Venue: Diakonia
Time: 12.30 – 4 pm
In Partnership: the communitues of Merebank and Wentworth, UAZA, PEJ, TruthHounds, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), UAZA.
Proposed Agenda Flow
| 12.30 -13.00 | Welcome
|
|
| 13.00 – 13.15 | Opening statements and introductions | SDCEA, UAZA |
| 13.15 – 13.40 | Destruction of Infrastructure and Environment: Kakhovka Dam case (20 min)
Q&A (5 min) |
PEJ Pascal Turlan. Myroslava Markova |
| 13.40 – 14.00 | Infrastructural Development and Environment in Durban | SDCEA |
| 14.00 – 14.25 | ZaNPP military attacks & human rights violations (15 min)
Q&A (5min) |
Truth Hounds
Dmytro Koval, Roman Koval |
| 14.25 – 14.45 | Nuclear Safety in South Africa – and the Role of Civil Society
Q&A (5min) |
Bryan Ashe |
|
Coffee break (15 min) |
||
| 15.00 – 15.55 | Film screening: Big Water, The Reckoning project (40 min)
Q&A 15 min |
|
| 15.55-16.00 | Concluding remarks (5 min) | |
Session 1: Presentation of the report
Report “SUBMERGED: Study of the Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam and Its Impacts on Ecosystems, Agrarians, Other Civilians, and International Justice”.