New Mobile Service Provides Low-Cost HUMAN Rights Information to Non-Nationals Living in South Africa
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) supported by Praekelt Foundation and the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration from the United States are preparing to launch a new, first-of-its-kind, mobile information service for non-nationals living in South Africa called Help@hand.
The ongoing xenophobia against non-nationals living in South Africa is a huge concern to LHR, such that they continue to provide free legal services to vulnerable and marginalised groups affected by xenophobia. In doing so, they work with both non-national and South African groups who are victims of not only xenophobia but also unlawful violations of their constitutional rights.
Help@hand is a new, important and necessary mobile information service. Which will provide non-nationals with a way to stay informed about their legal rights in South Africa and also provide a platform to report any issues they may be facing.
Help@hand will provide non-nationals with information on permits, health, education and unlawful arrest. It also will allow users to report corruption, xenophobia and unlawful arrest. Help@hand is accessible from all feature phones, is available in four different languages (English, Kiswahili, Somali and French) and is a low-cost service. While Help@hand is not an emergency service, it is an easy and convenient way for non-nationals to access information and report violations regarding their legal rights in this country.
The mobile service will be launched will in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg in April 2016. Dates are as follows:
· Cape Town: Thursday 28 April 2016
· Johannesburg: Thursday 5 May 2016
· Durban: Thursday 12 May 2016.
For more information contact Lawyers for Human Rights.
Kayan Leung: kayan [at] lhr [dot] org [dot] za / Tel: (011) 339 1960
