Governance Structures - Human Rights Commitee

Role and Membership

The North-West University recognises the fundamental rights and values contained in the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 108 of 1996, that these fundamental values and rights must be respected and upheld in the university community and that it should not be viewed in isolation but must be applied as an integral part of the university practices and policies.

In the execution of its task, the responsibilities of the HRC are as follows:

  1.   to fulfil an advocacy role in regard to human rights and social justice at the NWU,
  2.   to act as an independent point of report of alleged infringements of human rights, and to refer such cases either to the Employee Relations Department (where infringements against       employees have been alleged), or to the Student Judicial Department (where infringements against students have been alleged);
  3.   to receive regular reports from the Employee Relations Department and from the Student Judicial Department on cases dealt with by these departments related to human rights matters;
  4.    to advise relevant structures at the NWU on matters related to the promotion of a culture of human rights, the observance, respect and protection thereof;
  5.   where necessary and upon request by the University Management Committee, (“UMC”) and in extension of the function referred to in para 4, to establish sub-committees at an ad hoc   basis that comprise experts from the membership of the HRC and from within the NWU to advise the UMC on human-rights matters.
  6.   to monitor and assess the compliance of human rights in the University community
  7.   to make recommendations to the NWU Council on the promotion of human rights within the framework of relevant law and national directives.



The Human Rights Committee was established by Council and functions independently and impartially and participates in its activities in good faith and without fear, favour, bias or prejudice.

The Committee consists of 12 members representing the university community also in terms of race, gender and disability.

It is chaired by Ms Mohsina Chenia.