Oxfam Australia - South Africa Internship

Organisation Profile

Oxfam Australia is a member of a 13-member confederation of international organisations that make up Oxfam International which strives to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. It works with communities, allies and partner organizations, undertaking long-term development, emergency work, research and campaigning for a fairer world. Oxfam takes a human rights based approach working on a broad range of issues, including trade, conflict, debt and aid, and education.

Its core programs are directed towards achieving its goal and consist of emergency work, development programs (which are geared to eradicate poverty by focusing on issues such as education, gender, HIV/AIDS and human rights), research and lobbying, and campaigning. Oxfam works through grassroots organisations to assist the poor and victims of humanitarian disasters through preventative measures, preparedness and emergency relief. 

During the 2010 program, interns will work at the Campus Law Clinic. We are waiting to confirm additional placements at the KwaMakutha Community Rescource Centre and will update our site as soon as the placements are confirmed.  When writing your application letter, we ask that you discuss your interest in, and knowledge of, HIV/AIDS, development and access to justice in South Africa, rather than on the specific organisations. 

The Campus Law Clinic

The Campus Law Clinic (CLC) is a partner in the Joint Oxfam HIV and AIDS program (JOHAP) and is based on the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Durban Campus. Over the years CLC has been providing free legal services to poor and disadvantaged communities; and training law graduates and final year law students in a range of socio-legal issues. More recently CLC have developed and provided specialised training in areas of the law focused on alleviating poverty and discrimination. The legal services are intended to benefit the local communities where HIV prevalence is relatively high.

KwaMakutha Community Resource Centre

KwaMakutha Community Resource Centre (KMCRC) is a partner in the Joint Oxfam HIV and AIDS Program, located about thirty five kilometers south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. KMCRC provides services to the local community living in informal settlements, township settings and semi rural contexts. The area is characterised by a high number of child-headed households, a lack of infrastructure, high prevalence of HIV and high levels of drug and alcohol abuse. KwaMakhutha faces similar socio-economic challenges to those experienced within most South African communities, these challenges include; unemployment, poor social service delivery, violence against women and children, lack of commitment by some government officials, poverty and high prevalence of HIV and AIDS.

Internship Profile

The Campus Law Clinic

Law students are trained on issues relating to HIV and AIDS and the law according to national standards. On a weekly basis the students carry out community based rights and legal awareness education at selected community based law clinics. Through this initiative the students receive guidance and gain knowledge and experience in representing people whose rights have been violated. CLC also provides essential HIV and AIDS related legal services to vulnerable and at risk communities.

By providing free legal resources for HIV affected and infected persons CLC aims to protect the rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV) using the legal channels available. Furthermore, the project aims to increase human rights awareness amongst its target group.

The project aims to:

•         Increase access to justice to people living with HIV/AIDS.

•         Increase awareness and training on the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.

•         Increase the pool of specialist legal service providers in the HIV/AIDS field.

•         Promoe and advocate for the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS.

A detailed workplan will by developed by the intern and CLC before the placement starts.  It is expected that this will include:

•         Assisting HIV infected or affected clients with their legal problems involving services such as:

o       opening a file for such clients

o       assisting them with any queries they have as to their legal rights

o       sending correspondence on their behalf to government and private institutions with whom the client has a query or complaint

•         Conducting regular on-site outreach visits in Umlazi. Provide legal services to HIV infected and affected mothers of new-born babies.

•         Coordinating workshops to community members and/ or health care professionals related to legal issues commonly facing HIV infected or affected persons.

•         Formulating user-friendly pamphlets to raise legal awareness of peoples’ rights and make these available at our consulting points.

KwaMakutha Community Resource Centre

Over the last 15 years KMCRC has been involved in the struggle to promote and protect rights of underprivileged and vulnerable groups in KwaMakhutha and surrounding areas. Because of the advocacy, lobbying and coordinating efforts of KMCRC the organisation’s work to address the impact of HIV and AIDS and improve community access to services, such as social grants, has been successful in the main. KMCRC works with different structures in the community that includes a network of social service providers, including government, CBOs and NGOs, local traditional leadership and church leadership to improve the local health service highlighted below:

•         1 dilapidating clinic serving a population of +/- 89 000

•         Only five (5) nurses working shifts as staff

•         1 Medical doctor who makes two (2) visits per week (two hours per visit)

•         Only up to 100 patients could be attended to per day

•         More programs added yet the staff is not capacitated (for example people with experience on VCT)

•         Emergency cases not taken or properly addressed

•         No Youth and Women friendly services

•         Lack of counseling services for pre and post HIV testing

•         The project has expanded over the years according to the needs of the residents and currently seeks to address the following challenges facing KwaMakhutha:

•         Poor coordination and integration on work around HIV and AIDS compounded by stigma, discrimination and unprecedented spread of the virus.

•         Non involvement of the most vulnerable groups in programs designed to address their plight.

•         The high rate of poverty and unemployment.

•         Lack of skills and capacity by the community to access services and social grants by beneficiaries complicated by bureaucracy and incompetence of certain government departments.

•         Non involvement of men within the programs.

•         Lack of proper leadership at local government level to provide support to human rights initiatives.

•         Deaths resulting from HIV and AIDS & TB.

•         Unacceptably high rate of incidents of women abuse and gender violence.

•         Increasing number of child headed homes.

The project aims to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS in the KwaMakutha community by dealing with behavioural change and stereotypes that leads to gender inequality and secondary infections.

Through increased community capacity in advocacy, coupled with HIV and AIDS rights based education, prevention and support, it is hoped that the whole community will be better placed to demand and achieve their rights. This project is a long-term initiative addressing the paralegal and rights based needs of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.

KMCRC intends on achieving its aim by:

•         Providing paralegal assistance to vulnerable groups, who due to bureaucracy, illiteracy and lack of knowledge cannot access social grants, and / or experience domestic violence and abuse.

•         Coordinating and integrating work around HIV and AIDS thus ensuring efforts made to reduce stigma, lessen the spread of HIV and AIDS and access to treatment and care are maximized.

•         Giving gender issues maximum priority.

•         Strengthening the KMCRC’s capacity to deliver effective and quality interventions.

A detailed workplan will by developed by the intern and KMCRC before the placement starts.  It is expected that this will include:

•         Assist clients seeking legal advice.

•         Provide ongoing mediation assistance to community members requiring dispute resolution support.

•         Enter into partnership with Legal AID Board to come to the centre once a month for cases beyond our scope.

•         Facilitate access to legal representation in court for cases requiring litigation through Legal AID Board and monitor all referred cases as required.

•         Provide workshop on Access to Justice Act (AJA) and Access to Information Act (AIA) for government officials working in local government institution.

•         Partner with local clinic and Charles James Hospital (TB Hospital), to conduct information sessions regarding the spread of HIV, STI’s &TB.

•         Conduct workshops for Community Health Workers on HIV prevalence that is perpetuated by both TB and STI’s.

•         Distribute information leaflets to local schools, churches and public institutions regarding efforts to reduce the spread of HIV, STI’s and TB.

•         Hold local gender forums, for both sexes to discuss issues on gender.

•         Conduct local men’s indaba for men from local churches, and other relevant sectors of the community.

•         Conduct local church workshop on gender for both men and woman with focus on women’s rights and domestic abuse that lead to spread of HIV and STI.

•         Identify at least 30 orphans and assist them to:

o       Access social grants.

o       Access birth certificate and ID document.

o       Apply for school exemption.

o       Purchase school uniforms and stationery.

•         Conduct home visits to foster homes to ascertain living conditions and provide necessary support.

Eligibility Criteria

Please click here for the eligibility criteria.

Selection Criteria

The following selection criteria will be taken into account by the Castan Centre in choosing the intern and applicants are advised to directly address each criterion in their personal statement. 

• Particular interest in the activities of the Oxfam;
• Appreciation of the confidentiality and sensitivity required when working with people living with HIV;
• Understanding of social development issues in South Africa;
• The ability to work autonomously and as part of a team;
• A demonstrated interest in human rights as shown through your practical or academic experiences;
• Strong academic record, in particular marks received in human rights and other relevant subjects;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to explain complex information simply;
• Computer skills - Word, Excel, Outlook

Application Process

This internship is part of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law's Global Internship Program.  For full details of the application process, go to the Global Internship homepage.

Equity Grants

The Student Mobility Fund (SMF) has been developed to provide financial assistance for faculty internship programs to those students who can demonstrate financial hardship. 

Contact Information

If you would like further information about this internship please contact:

Forms

Global Internship Application Form

Other Useful Information

Intern reports of Neda Monshat and Jess Malin 2009

Accommodation and cost of living hints South Africa - Chris Holt 2008