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This report by Natural Justice and the ABS Capacity Development Initiative provides lessons and case studies on the development of community protocols in Africa to facilitate Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge (aTK) under the Nagoya Protocol.

This report by Natural Justice and Kalpavriksh analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks affecting Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ conserved territories and areas (ICCAs). It identifies systemic threats to these areas, including a lack of legal recognition for customary land rights and the imposition of exclusionary conservation models. While noting positive developments in international law and specific national initiatives, the report argues that state institutions often continue to undermine ICCAs through discriminatory legislation and inaccessible judicial systems. It provides comprehensive recommendations for governments and international bodies to recognize the self-determination of Indigenous peoples and support the integrity of ICCAs through both legal reform and non-legal support mechanisms.

This guide provides an introduction to the United Nations human rights system, detailing the organs of the UN, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the specific mechanisms available for the protection and advocacy of Indigenous peoples and local communities.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides an introduction to the United Nations human rights system, specifically tailored for indigenous peoples and local communities. It explains the structure of the UN, the evolution of international human rights law, and the specific mechanisms available for the protection of indigenous rights.

This fact sheet details a legal challenge by Green Connection (TGC) and Natural Justice (NJ) against the environmental authorization granted to Total Energies EP South Africa Block 567 (Pty) Ltd for offshore oil exploration between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas. It outlines six grounds for judicial review and discusses Total's request to join Shell to the legal proceedings following Total's announcement in May 2024 that it would withdraw from exploration in Block 567.

This guide, published by Natural Justice in January 2024, provides information to the public regarding the proposed oil and gas exploration activities by Africa Oil South Africa Corp (AOSAC) and its joint venture partners in Block 3B/4B off the west coast of South Africa. It outlines the exploration process, potential environmental and social impacts, and the procedure for public participation and commenting on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Natural Justice, a non-profit organization, submitted comments on the Land Court Bill [B11 – 2021] to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services. The organization supports the establishment of a specialist Land Court and Land Court of Appeal to address the failures of the previous Land Claims Court, but recommends amendments to the composition of the judiciary to ensure contextual expertise is not lost.

A letter dated February 24, 2014, addressed to World Bank President Jim Yong Kim from a coalition of 168 organizations and individuals, urging the revival of B-SPAN, the Bank's Internet-based webcasting system.

This document is a presentation by Natural Justice (NJ), an African organization dedicated to social and environmental justice. It outlines the organization's mission to protect the collective rights of indigenous peoples and local communities through a "Litigation Plus" approach, which integrates legal empowerment, research, policy influence, and strategic litigation. The document details NJ's activities in 2024, highlighting legal victories against extractive industries, efforts to secure land tenure, and the protection of environmental defenders across Africa.

This document is a commentary by Natural Justice regarding the 'South Africa’s Oceans Economy Master Plan to 2035 Draft 3 v1'. The submission criticizes the Masterplan for failing to align with international climate obligations, neglecting marine biodiversity, and lacking meaningful consultation with coastal and indigenous communities. Natural Justice argues that the plan prioritizes economic growth and carbon-intensive industries, such as offshore oil and gas exploration, over environmental sustainability and the rights of small-scale fishers.

This factsheet by Natural Justice outlines the traditional knowledge of the San and Khoi people regarding the rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis) and the legal framework for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) in South Africa to ensure these indigenous communities benefit from the commercialization of the species.

This guide, published by Natural Justice in July 2024, provides information and guidance for the public regarding a proposed 3D seismic survey by Searcher Geodata UK Ltd off the coast of South Africa. It outlines the project's scope, the regulatory process for environmental authorisation, and the potential negative impacts on marine biodiversity, local livelihoods, and cultural heritage.

This fact sheet by Natural Justice outlines the legal challengeL challenge brought by coastal communities and civil society organisations against Shell in the Constitutional CourtC Court of South Africa. TheSS. The petitioners are appealing a Supreme Court of Appeal (SC A order that allows the Minister to decide on Shell's latest renewal application for exploration rights to conduct seismic testing on the Wild Coast.

This document contains written comments and proposed amendments submitted by the Biodiversity Law Centre and Natural Justice regarding a Draft White Paper on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in South Africa. The stakeholders generally support the White Paper's paradigm shift toward transformation and an Afrocentric approach but argue that it lacks critical definitions, detailed implementation plans for funding and cooperative governance, and a sufficiently integrated approach to climate change.

This guide by Natural Justice outlines a Just Energy Transition (JET) framework for African communities based on the "Three Ps": Principles, Policies and laws, and Practicalities. It advocates for energy democracy, community-owned renewable energy, and the application of environmental and restorative justice to ensure that the transition to clean energy does not repeat historical patterns of exploitation. The framework emphasizes the necessity of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the right to a healthy environment, and the need for climate reparations and grants from the Global North to address energy inequality and historical carbon emissions.

This December 2016 report by Natural Justice and Public Eye analyzes discrepancies between the European Union's Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) regulation and the national legislations of provider countries implementing the Nagoya Protocol. The authors argue that the EU's narrow scope regarding temporal triggers, the definition of associated traditional knowledge, and the 'import loophole' creates legal uncertainty and undermines fair benefit sharing.

This fact sheet by Natural Justice critiques the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill, arguing that its goal to accelerate petroleum exploitation in South Africa contradicts the country's climate commitments, threatens biodiversity, and lacks sufficient public consultation.

This research paper by Ivor Chipkin examines the conceptual and political drivers of corruption and 'state capture' in South Africa. It argues that the persistence of corruption is not merely a failure of ethics but a result of a deliberate ideological struggle over the form of the state, pitting a liberal model of a neutral bureaucracy against the African National Congress's (ANC) 'National Democratic Revolution' (NDR) and 'cadre deployment' strategies.

This research paper by Ivor Chipkin of the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) analyzes the shift toward 'tyranny' under the presidency of Jacob Zuma in South Africa. The author argues that the Zuma administration's move toward lawlessness and 'state capture' was driven by a political project called 'Radical Economic Transformation,' which viewed the South African Constitution as an obstacle to economic change. The paper details efforts to control the media, weaken state institutions, and the subsequent emergence of a rejuvenated civil-society coalition that used litigation and political mobilization to defend constitutional democracy.

The 'Toolkit for Public Servants', published by the Public Affairs Research Institute, is a guide designed to support South African public servants in identifying and reporting corruption and unethical conduct. It provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing public service ethics, specifically detailing the processes and protections available under the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA) and the Public Service Regulations (PSR 2016).