Democratic Governance & Rights Unit

Based in the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town (UCT), the DGRU is an applied research and advocacy unit that focuses on supporting judicial governance and providing free access to legal resources in Africa.

• Our work aspires to support SDG 16 through strengthening judicial institutions and strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights.
• We are a member of the Global Judicial Integrity Network.
• In 2018, we were recognised as an official resource partner of the Southern African Chief Justices Forum (SACJF).
• We provided the background research to the Lilongwe Principles of Judicial Selection and Appointment, recently adopted by the SACJF.
• We are a member of the global Free Access to Law Movement.

We also provide various capacity development opportunities for students.

Our strategy and activities are informed by our theory of change.