The Dullah Omar Institute started as the Community Law Centre in 1990. It was renamed as the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights in 2015. Through its work, it honours the life and legacy of its founding director, Adv. Dullah Omar, a stalwart of the struggle against Apartheid and the Minister of Justice in President Mandela’s Cabinet. It houses professorial and research staff with international reputations and runs masters and doctoral programmes in governance and human rights. The Institute comprises some 40 staff members and is headed by Prof Lukas Muntingh. It conducts applied research, postgraduate teaching and advocacy in four programmes: The Children’s Rights Project, headed by Prof Benyam Mezmur, supports the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Children’s Charter across the African continent. The Socio-Economic Rights Project promotes the realisation of socio-economic rights in Africa. The Africa Criminal Justice Reform headed by Prof Lukas Muntingh is leading research and advocacy on human rights-driven criminal justice reform in Africa, focusing on issues such as pretrial detention, torture and the criminalisation of poverty. Prof Tinashe Chigwata heads the Multilevel Government Project, which works closely with the South African Research Chair in Multilevel Government, Law and Development (SARChI Chair). The Chair is an important feature of the Institute. Prof Jaap de Visser holds the SARChI Chair, and was the director of the Institute from 2013-2022. Prof Nico Steytler conceptualised and held the Chair from 2013-2022 and was the director of the Institute from 1994 – 2012. It focuses on the role of local authorities, provinces and regions to pursue development and peace in Africa and beyond.
