Developing the right to education in the context of regional African human rights law : protecting children with non-heteronormative sexual orientations, non-binary gender identities or gender expressions
| dc.contributor.advisor | Rudman, Annika | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Kreuser, Charlene | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Public Law. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-03-07T20:40:07Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-04-21T14:40:00Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-03-07T20:40:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-04-21T14:40:00Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the centre of this dissertation is the denial of a fundamental right based on personal attributes. This denial is due to preconceptions regarding what people should be, the behaviours they should adopt, and the romantic relationships that they should form. The question that the dissertation addresses is part of a larger issue of how heteronormative conceptions of sexual orientation, gender identities and gender expression shape the law and its institutions, excluding persons who do not fit this conceptual approach. The right to education is guaranteed under international and regional human rights law. It is key to promoting the full and harmonious development of children into adults who can contribute to the development of their communities. Despite this, learners with non-heteronormative sexual orientations and non-binary gender identities or gender expressions(“SOGIE”) face discrimination and marginalisation in the school environment, preventing them from fully enjoying this right. On the African continent, two factors exacerbate the discrimination experienced by these learners. Firstly, the perception that non-heteronormative SOGIE are un-African. Secondly, non-heteronormative SOGIE are not explicitly listed as prohibited grounds of discrimination under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights(“ACHPR”), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (“ACRWC”), and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (“Maputo Protocol”). Against this backdrop, this dissertation explores the perception that non-heteronormative SOGIE are un-African, and utilises queer theory and queer legal theory as tools to assist in unpacking and re-thinking heteronormativity as site of violence. This dissertation further utilises a teleological approach to the interpretation of treaties to develop the right to education of children with non-heteronormative SOGIE under the ACHPR, the ACRWC, and the Maputo Protocol through the lens of the rights to human dignity, non-discrimination, equal protection of the law, and the principle of the best interests of the child. In this regard, guidance is drawn from the interpretation of these rights by the international, European, and inter-American human rights bodies. Although the current interpretation of rights to human dignity, non-discrimination, equal protection of the law, and the best interests of the child under the African human rights system does not provide adequate protection to children with non-heteronormative SOGIE in education, it is shown that these rights can be purposefully interpreted to provide a framework for the protection of learners with non-heteronormative SOGIE. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif handel oor die ontkenning van 'n fundamentele reg gebaseer op persoonlike eienskappe. Die ontkenning is te wyte aan vooroordele oor wat mense moet wees, die gedrag wat hulle moet aanneem en die romantiese verhoudings wat hulle moet vorm. Die vraag wat die proefskrif behandel is deel van 'n groter vraagstuk oor hoe heteronormatiewe opvattings van seksuele oriëntasie, geslagsidentiteite en geslagsuitdrukking die wet en sy instellings vorm, ter uitsluiting van persone wat nie by hierdie konseptuele benadering inpas nie. Die reg op onderwys word gewaarborg onder die internasionale en streeksmenseregte verdrae. Dit is die sleutel tot die bevordering van die volle en harmonieuse ontwikkeling van kinders tot volwassenes wat kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van hul gemeenskappe. Ten spyte hiervan kom leerders met nie-heteronormatiewe seksuele oriëntasies en nie-binêre geslagsidentiteite of geslagsuitinge ("SOGIE") voor diskriminasie en marginalisering in die skoolomgewing te staan, wat hulle verhoed om hierdie reg ten volle te benut. Op die vasteland van Afrika vererger twee faktore die diskriminasie wat hierdie leerders ervaar. Eerstens bestaan daar ‘n indruk dat nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE nie hoort op die Afrika kontinent nie; dit is ingevoer deur kolonialisering. Tweedens word nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE nie eksplisiet as verbode gronde van diskriminasie beskou onder die Afrika Handves oor die Menseregte en Volkeregte (“ACHPR”), die Afrika Handves vir die Regte en Welsyn van die Kind (“ACRWC”) en die Protokol by die Afrika Handves oor die Regte van Mense en Volke oor die Regte van Vroue in Afrika (“Maputo Protocol”).Teen hierdie agtergrond ondersoek die proefskrif die indruk dat nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE nie hoort op die Afrika kontinent nie, en word queer-teorie en queer-regsteorie as hulpmiddels gebruik om heteronormatiwiteit as plek van geweld te heroorweeg. In hierdie proefskrif word daar verder gebruik gemaak van 'n teleologiese benadering tot die interpretasie van verdrae om die reg op onderwys van kinders met nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE onder die ACHPR, die ACRWC en die Maputo-protokol te ontwikkel. Dit word gedoen deur middel van die regte op menswaardigheid, nie-diskriminasie, gelyke beskerming van die wet, en die beginsel van die beste belang van die kind. In hierdie verband word leiding getrek uit die interpretasie van hierdie regte deur die internasionale, Europese en inter-Amerikaanse menseregte-liggame. Alhoewel die huidige interpretasie van regte op menswaardigheid, nie-diskriminasie, gelyke beskerming van die wet, en die beste belang van die kind onder die Afrika menseregtestelsel nie voldoende beskerming bied aan kinders met nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE in die onderwys nie, het hierdie proefskrif bevestig dat hierdie regte doelgerig geïnterpreteer kan word om 'n raamwerk te bied vir die beskerming van leerders met nie-heteronormatiewe SOGIE. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 343 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/110092 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Children's rights based on personal attributes | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human rights -- Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Children's rights -- Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Learners with non-heteronormative sexual orientations | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | International human rights law | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Sex discrimination in education -- Law and legislation | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Developing the right to education in the context of regional African human rights law : protecting children with non-heteronormative sexual orientations, non-binary gender identities or gender expressions | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |