SOUTHERN African Development Community (Sadc) leaders gather in Mbabane, Swaziland, on Tuesday for the 36th heads of state summit, with the human rights situation across the region in a state of flux.The 1992 Windhoek treaty that established the regional bloc places huge importance on human rights, and specifically anchors the principles of Sadc in human rights, peace, security and equity.While the region is relatively peaceful by continental standards, progress in realising the human rights principles and objectives set out in the treaty has been painstakingly slow.In fact, in some member states, there has been a noticeable rollback of human rights in recent years.This has resulted in remarkable departures from the international obligations of member states, as encapsulated in other major human rights treaties that the majority of Sadc members are party to, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultur...
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