South Africa
Addressing Urban Violence and Local Security: Participatory Research with Young People in Colombia and South Africa
This report documents a persistent mismatch between official security priorities, still centred on crime and armed actors, and what young people themselvesidentify as most urgent: unemployment, lack of opportunity, and mental health. Drawing on these findings and recognising that despite being separated by continent, language, and political history, the two cities share a history of…
NORMSTORM Educational toolbox
Lessons from the Stellenbosch and Jönköping Municipal Partnership Contributors: Chantal Côte & Robin Alnäs This is a practical toolbox designed to guide the implementation of Normstorm in classrooms and communities across South Africa and beyond. Normstorm is a method designed to break the silence. It is a value-driven educational approach that engages young people through…
Jönköping – Stellenbosh, South Africa
Project: Youth participation in municipal decision-making The project tackles a shared challenge in both Jönköping and Stellenbosch: young people are largely excluded from municipal decision-making. Although Sweden incorporated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law in 2020, translating this principle into real influence for young people remains difficult. Existing structures, such…
Women, indigenous knowledge and climate resilience in focus amongst our Fieldwork Grant recipients
We are happy to share our most recent group of Fieldwork Grant participants here at ICLD! This year, 9 brilliant students presented their research on highly topical subjects for both our organization, the general state of the world and local democracy. Each of them had a unique perspective on pressing issues globally, and the execution…
Breaking the Chains of Inequality:The Role of Human Rights Education in South AfricanSchools from an International and Comparative Perspective
This thesis explores how Human Rights Education (HRE) can be used as a powerful tool to address inequality, challenge racism, promote inclusion, and ensure fair access to resources in South African schools. By comparing the experiences of Black, Coloured, and former White schools, the study draws from a decolonial perspective and counter-narrative theory to examine…
Just energy transitions as a path towards fair and place-based fossil fuel phase-outs?
Given the need to mitigate adverse impacts of fossil fuel phase-outs, this thesis investigates whether just energy transitions lead to inclusive and place-based outcomes, focusing on the Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa. Using a political economy and procedural justice lens, and drawing on interviews with key stakeholders, the study explores the inclusivity of…
Call for regional Alumni Coordinator – Southern Africa
Application deadline: 19 June Regional Alumni Coordinator for ICLD The Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) is looking for a Regional Alumni Coordinator for Southern Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa) to strengthen engagement among alumni in the regions. This is a consultancy role on part-time basis. The role is ideal for a highly…
Leadership with visions for a sustainable future
Charmaine Laubscher, Executive Deputy Mayor of Saldanha Bay, is paving the way for sustainable change. As a municipal councillor responsible for infrastructure and urban planning, she has recently been accepted to participate in the next round of the ICLD Women’s Political Leadership Programme (WPL). In an interview, she shares her journey, her visions, and the…
Umeå kommun and Cape Agulhas local municipality
Youth democracy in Umeå municipality and Cape Agulhas municipality In Cape Agulhas, youth leadership is not being adequately developed due to a lack of knowledge on local government matters and motivation. Municipal leaders are not mitigating this adequately which can compromise the democracies of the future. At the same time there is a lack of…
Mobilising Assets to Improve Participatory Planning in Local Governance in South Africa
This learning case aims to guide the reader to:
