Human Rights Month is observed in South Africa every March to honour the legacy of the Constitution and the rights it guarantees for all. It is a time to reflect on the meaning of dignity, equality, and justice in our everyday lives and to consider how we, as individuals and communities, uphold those rights.
At the University of the Free State (UFS), human rights are upheld through how we teach, learn, research, and engage with society. Human rights include the right to education, the right to health, the right to dignity, and the right to participate fully in society. In many of our programmes and academic activities, these rights are present not as abstract ideas, but as conditions that shape real experiences and outcomes.
“Human Rights Month reminds us that universities play a critical role in safeguarding the constitutional values that shape our democracy,” says Prof Hester C. Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
In our classrooms and learning spaces, our programmes encourage students to explore complex social challenges, understand diverse perspectives, and apply learning in ways that have real-life impact. Whether work-integrated learning initiatives, community-engaged projects, or collaborative problem-solving, students are supported to think deeply about how knowledge contributes to fairness, inclusion, and opportunity. Learning here is directly connected to the ability of individuals to claim their rights and contribute to the common good.
For Tshegofatso Moya, a final-year LLB student and student assistant in the UFS Law Clinic, this connection between learning and lived experience is clear. “Through my work connected to the Law Clinic, I have seen how human rights move beyond textbooks and become lived realities for members of our community,” Moya says.
“Our responsibility extends beyond teaching content. We are shaping graduates who understand the weight of dignity, equality, and justice, and who are prepared to uphold these principles in every sphere of society, contributing to the creation of responsible societal futures,” he adds.
Moya recalls assisting with a matter involving a customary marriage dispute, where questions of dignity and recognition deeply affected the individuals involved. “Dignity is not an abstract constitutional value. It is something that can be harmed in very real ways, but it can also be restored through careful, informed legal intervention,” he reflects.
Our research reinforces this connection between knowledge and rights. At the UFS, scholars contribute to evidence that protects and informs communities. Recent research into public health questions around women’s well-being has helped to heighten public awareness and support informed discussion about health and safety. Likewise, when our researchers investigate outbreaks of diseases that affect both people and livestock, they contribute insights that support community response and safeguard well-being, supporting the right to health and livelihood. These are examples of how enquiry can inform action that supports everyone’s ability to live with dignity.
At the Law Clinic, knowledge is also shared beyond individual cases. “When we find clarity or a solution in one matter, we create knowledge that can empower many others,” Moya explains. “In that sense, the clinic does not only solve individual problems. It strengthens access to justice more broadly.”
These efforts reflect how knowledge can expand access to rights, strengthen social inclusion, and create conditions where people’s voices and lives are respected. Advancing knowledge contributes to an environment in which every person’s right to education, health, dignity, and opportunity is taken seriously.
Our work is grounded in our aspiration to contribute to responsible societal futures. When knowledge leads to understanding, informed decisions, and thoughtful engagement, it strengthens the capacity of individuals and communities to participate fully in society. In this way, human rights and meaningful learning are inseparable – learning that matters prepares people to act responsibly, think critically, and contribute to the well-being of their communities.
“I call on our university community to use this moment to reflect, engage, and act with intention,” Prof Klopper concludes. “The protection of human rights depends on informed citizens who are willing to contribute to a just and inclusive society.”
As we begin Human Rights Month, the University of the Free State stands firm in its commitment to advancing knowledge that strengthens dignity, equality, and justice for all.