My Rights My Responsibilities Initiative
Challenge
Local-level challenges in South Africa significantly hinder democratic participation due to the lack of accessible civic and political education. In fact, more than 39% of non-voters cited a lack of knowledge as their reason for abstaining, with many of these sentiments coming from the rural, densely populated provinces of Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal (IEC Voter Participation Survey 2023: 19-20). These provinces have some of the highest rural populations, with Eastern Cape at 68.3%, Limpopo at 60.7%, and KwaZulu-Natal at 60.3%, translating to 32.15% of the national population living in rural areas as of 2021. Many South Africans, particularly in rural areas, are more familiar with colloquial or home languages as opposed to academic English and political jargon. Additionally, they often lack awareness of their basic rights and role as active political participants. This results in participatory exclusion, despite government publications such as government gazettes and white papers, being available in multiple official languages. Even with the availability of these documents in multiple languages, they are often not comprehensible to the general public, especially in rural areas. This participatory exclusion hinders democratic participation for a significant portion of the population.
Proposal
To address the challenges of participatory exclusion in South Africa, it is essential to educate those affected by language barriers on their civic and political rights and responsibilities. This can be achieved through the “My Rights and Responsibilities” initiative, managed by an NGO or CSO such as the Democracy Works Foundation, and funded by development agencies like SIDA or the government. Mini information manuals should be created on the basics of the political process, including the purpose of different government publications and how to interact with them, as well as on basic rights. These manuals should be written in colloquial terms, available in all 12 official languages, and include illustrations to further encourage comprehension. Members of underprivileged communities, especially in rural areas, should be equipped through capacity-building initiatives to use these information manuals to conduct civic and political education sessions within their respective communities. The information sessions could be held in community halls or schools and last for one-hour, designed as interactive sessions. By using community members as facilitators, the information becomes more applicable to the local context. For example, they could apply their basic rights to address issues like children having to cross rivers to reach school in the Eastern Cape. These manuals should be printed and distributed to community members in their home language, with illustrations accounting for potential illiteracy and assisting with comprehension. Additionally, collaborating with radio stations to broadcast these information sessions as segments can further reach rural communities and non-literate individuals.
Impact
The “My Rights and Responsibilities” initiative addresses the challenge of participatory exclusion in South Africa by making civic and political education accessible to those in rural areas, particularly where language barriers and low literacy rates restrict comprehension. By creating illustrated information manuals in all 12 home languages and equipping local community members to conduct interactive education sessions, the initiative empowers individuals with knowledge of their basic rights and the political process. This approach ensures that even those with limited literacy can comprehend and engage with the material, fostering greater democratic participation and reducing exclusion.