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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), in partnership with SECTION27 and the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), conducted a project to bridge the gap between economics and human rights in South Africa. The report identifies systemic barriers, such as the lack of a shared language and the tendency of mainstream economics to ignore social objectives, while highlighting the potential for human rights to provide a normative framework for challenging economic orthodoxies. Key activities included publishing a peer-reviewed article on Human Rights Impact Assessments, producing advocacy factsheets based on UN recommendations, and hosting a multi-stakeholder convening. The findings suggest that moving beyond budget-focused advocacy toward systemic economic policy analysis and progressive jurisprudence can empower social movements and hold governments accountable for socio-economic rights.

The Heroes Project, a collaboration between Natural Justice and the Law+Environment+Design Laboratory, aims to heal collective historical trauma in Khoi-San youth in South Africa. By creating graphic narratives based on Joseph Campbell's 'hero's journey' and Khoi-San mythology, the project seeks to provide positive role models and reconnect youth with their cultural identity. The initiative combines legal support with creative interventions, utilizing workshops in the Cape Flats to gather real-life stories and develop characters based on Jungian archetypes and spiritually significant animals.