Prof Sandra Liebenberg

Distinguished Professor & HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law

BA LLB (UCT) LLM (University of Essex, UK) LLD (Witwatersrand)

 

 

 

 

Prof. Sandra Liebenberg is a Distinguished Professor and the HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa where she teaches and supervises students in human rights law at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research focuses on economic, social, and cultural rights as well as the rights to equality and non-discrimination, a healthy environment, and sustainable development. She also organises the Faculty’s Annual Human Rights Lecture Series, which is in its 17th year.

From 1995 to 1996 she was appointed to the four-member Legal Technical Committee advising South Africa’s Constitutional Assembly on the drafting of the Bill of Rights in the post-apartheid 1996 Constitution. She served as Chair of this Technical Committee. She was one of the two lead drafters of the Principles and Guidelines of the Implementation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted in 2010 by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

She is a former member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2017 – 2020), and served as Vice-Chair of this body from 2019 to 2020. During her term on CESCR, she was the Committee’s first Rapporteur on follow-up to Concluding Observations; served on its Working Group on Communications; and was co-rapporteur on the Statement, “The pledge to leave no one behind: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”; as well as the forthcoming General Comment on the economic, social, and cultural rights and sustainable development. She is currently serving as Chair of the Maastricht IV Drafting Committee, an international research and advocacy project to prepare Principles and Guidelines on the Human Rights of Future Generations along with a comprehensive legal commentary.

She has published widely in the field of socio-economic rights, including: The South African Constitution from a Gender Perspective (1995 – editor); Socio-Economic Rights: Adjudication under a Transformative Constitution (2010 – sole-authored monograph); and Law and Poverty: Perspectives from South Africa and Beyond (2011 – co-edited with Prof G Quinot). She has also been involved in public interest litigation, human rights training and education, and advice to State institutions, government departments, inter-governmental organisations and civil society organisations for several years.

In 2022 she received an A1 rating from South Africa’s National Research Foundation for her research in the field of socio-economic rights. A-Rated researchers are unequivocally recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their respective fields, for the high quality and impact of their recent research.

 Prof Sandra Liebenberg is ‘n uitgelese professor en die HF Oppenheimer Leerstoel in Menseregtereg in die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid, Universiteit Stellenbosch, waar sy studente in menseregtereg op voorgraadse en nagraadse vlak onderrig en as studieleier optree. Haar navorsing fokus op ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele regte sowel as die regte op gelykheid en nie-diskriminasie, ‘n gesonde omgewing en volhoubare ontwikkeling. Sy reël ook die Fakulteit se Jaarlikse Menseregtelesingsreeks, wat in sy 17de jaar is.

Van 1995 tot 1996 is sy aangestel in die vier-lid Regstegniese Komitee wat Suid-Afrika se Grondwetlike Vergadering adviseer oor die opstel van die Handves van Regte in die postapartheid 1996 Grondwet. Sy het as voorsitter van hierdie Tegniese Komitee gedien. Sy was een van die twee hoofopstellers van die “Principles and Guidelines of the Implementation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”  wat in 2010 deur die Afrika Kommissie van Menseregte aangeneem is.

Sy is ‘n voormalige lid van die VN se Komitee oor Ekonomiese, Sosiale en Kulturele Regte (2017 – 2020), en het vanaf 2019 tot 2020 as ondervoorsitter van hierdie liggaam gedien. Tydens haar termyn, was sy die Komitee se eerste Rapporteur oor opvolg vir Slotopmerkings, het op sy Werkgroep oor Kommunikasie gedien, en sy was mederapporteur vir die Verklaring, “The pledge to leave no one behind: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”; sowel as die komende Algemene Kommentaar oor die ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele regte en volhoubare ontwikkeling. Sy dien tans as voorsitter van die Maastricht IV-opstelkomitee, ‘n internasionale navorsings- en voorspraakprojek om “Principles and Guidelines on the Human Rights of Future Generations” saam met ‘n omvattende regskommentaar voor te berei.

Sy het wyd gepubliseer op die gebied van sosio-ekonomiese regte, insluitend: The South African Constitution from a Gender Perspective (1995 – redakteur); Socio-Economic Rights: Adjudication under a Transformative Constitution (2010 – skrywer van die monografie); en Law and Poverty: Perspectives from South Africa and Beyond (2011 – saam met prof G Quinot geredigeer). Sy is ook vir etlike jare betrokke by litigasie van openbare belang, menseregte-opleiding en -opvoeding en advies aan staatsinstellings, staatsdepartemente, interregeringsorganisasies en burgerlike samelewingsorganisasies.

In 2022 het sy ’n A1-gradering van Suid-Afrika se Nasionale Navorsingstigting ontvang vir haar navorsing op die gebied van sosio-ekonomiese regte. A-gegradeerde navorsers word onomwonde deur hul eweknieë erken as toonaangewende internasionale vakkundiges in hul onderskeie velde, vir die hoë gehalte en impak van hul onlangse navorsing.

 
Fields of Specialisation

  • Constitutional Law
  • International Human Rights Law
  • Socio-Economic Rights
 Areas van Belangstelling

  • Staatsreg
  • Internasionale Menseregte
  • Sosio-Ekonomiese regte
Modules taught

  • Constitutional Law 312
  • Constitutional Law 451
 Modules aangebied

  • Staatsreg 312
  • Staatsreg 451

 

Publications/Publikasies

 

Books/Boeke

  • S Liebenberg (ed) The Constitution of South Africa from a Gender Perspective (1995), Cape Town: David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd in association with the Community Law Centre.
  • S Liebenberg & K Pillay (eds) Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa: A Resource Book (2000) Cape Town: Community Law Centre, UWC.
  • S Liebenberg Socio-Economic Rights: Adjudication under a Transformative Constitution (2010), Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg & G Quinot (eds) Law and Poverty: Perspectives from South African and Beyond (2012), Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.

Chapters in books/Hoofstukke in boeke 

  • S Liebenberg “Social and Economic Rights: A Critical Challenge” in S Liebenberg (ed) The Constitution of South Africa from a Gender Perspective (2005) 79-96, Cape Town: David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd in association with the Community Law Centre.
  • S Liebenberg “Human Rights and Economic Development: The Constraints and Obligations Imposed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” in N Steytler (ed) Democracy, Human Rights and Economic Development in Southern Africa (1997) 49-75, Johannesburg: Lex Patria Publishers.
  • S Liebenberg “Environment” in D Davis, H Cheadle & N Haysom (eds) Fundamental Rights in the Constitution: Commentary and Cases (1997) 256-263, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Education” in D Davis, H Cheadle & N Haysom (eds) Fundamental Rights in the Constitution: Commentary and Cases (1997) 294-302, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Housing” in D Davis, H Cheadle & N Haysom (eds) Fundamental Rights in the Constitution: Commentary and Cases (1997) 342-353, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Health, Food, Water and Social Security” in D Davis, H Cheadle & N Haysom (eds) Fundamental Rights in the Constitution: Commentary and Cases (1997) 354-359, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Socio-Economic Rights” in M Chaskalson, J Kentridge, J Klaaren, G Marcus, D Spitz & S Woolman (eds) Constitutional Law of South Africa (RS 3 1998) 41–1- 41–56, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Introducing Socio-Economic Rights” in S Liebenberg & K Pillay (eds) Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa: A Resource Book (2000) 9-40, Cape Town: Community Law Centre, UWC.
  • S Liebenberg “Social Security as a Human Right” in Circle of Rights – Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Activism: A Training Resource (2000) 200-219, International Human Rights Internship Program and Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development.
  • S Liebenberg “The Development of Policy, Plans and Legislation to Protect and Promote Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” in Circle of Rights – Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Activism: A Training Resource (2000) 407-417, International Human Rights Internship Program and Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development.
  • S Liebenberg “Violations of Socio-Economic Rights: The Role of the South African Human Rights Commission” in P Andrews & S Ellmann (eds) The Post-Apartheid Constitutions: Perspectives on South Africa’s Basic Law (2001) 405-443, Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press and Athens: Ohio University Press.
  • S Liebenberg “The Protection of Economic and Social Rights in Domestic Legal Systems” in A Eide, C Krause & A Rosas (eds) Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: A Textbook 2 ed (2001) 55-84, Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
  • S Liebenberg “Education” in H Cheadle, D Davis & N Haysom (eds) South African Constitutional Law: The Bill of Rights (2002) 533-544, Durban: Butterworths.
  • S Liebenberg “The Right to Social Security: A Response from a South African Perspective” in D Brand & S Russel (eds) Exploring the Core Content of Socio-Economic Rights: South African and International Perspectives (2002) 147-158, Pretoria: Protea Book House.
  • S Liebenberg “The Interpretation of Socio-Economic Rights” in M Chaskalson, J Kentridge, J Klaaren, G Marcus, D Spitz & S Woolman (eds) Constitutional Law of South Africa 2 ed (OS 2003) 33–1-33–66, Cape Town: Juta & Co Ltd.
  • S Liebenberg “Enforcing Positive Socio-Economic Rights Claims: The South African Model of Reasonableness Review” in J Squires, M Langford & B Thiele (eds) The Road to a Remedy: Current Issues in the Litigation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2005) 73-88, Sydney: Australian Human Rights Centre, The University of New South Wales Press.
  • S Liebenberg “The Value of Human Dignity in Interpreting Socio-Economic Rights” in AJ van der Walt (ed) Theories of Social and Economic Justice (2005) 141-167, Stellenbosch: Sun Press.
  • S Liebenberg “The Judicial Enforcement of Social Security Rights in South Africa: Enhancing Accountability for the Basic Needs of the Poor” in E Riedel (ed) Social Security as a Human Right: Drafting a General Comment on Art 9, ICESCR – Some Challenges (2006) 66-90, Berlin: Springer.
  • S Liebenberg “Making a Difference: Human Rights and Development – Reflecting on the South African Experience” in BA Andreassen & SP Marks (eds) Development as a Human Right: Legal, Political and Economic Dimensions (2006) 167-195, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard School of Public Health & Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights.
  • S Liebenberg “Needs, Rights and Transformation: Adjudicating Social Rights in South Africa” in T Lovell (ed) (Mis)recognition, Social Inequality and Social Justice: Nancy Fraser and Pierre Bourdieu (2007) 177-201, London: Routledge.
  • S Liebenberg “Socio-Economic Rights under South Africa’s Transformative Constitution” in M Langford (ed) Social Rights Jurisprudence: Emerging Trends in International and Comparative Law (2008) 75-101, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • S Liebenberg “Socio-Economic Rights: Revisiting the Reasonableness Review / Minimum Core Debate” in S Woolman & M Bishop (eds) Constitutional Conversations (2008) 303-329, Pretoria: PULP Press.
  • S Liebenberg “The Judicial Enforcement of Socio-Economic Rights under South Africa’s Transformative Constitution” in D Fraser & G Rodrigues (eds) Disrespect Today, Conflict Tomorrow (2009) 161-173, Nottingham: Critical, Cultural and Communications Press.
  • S Liebenberg “Reflections on Drafting a Bill of Rights: A South African Perspective” in N Kersting (ed) Constitution in Transition: Academic Inputs for a New Constitution in Zimbabwe (2009) 21-45, Harare: GTZ & Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
  • S Liebenberg “L’Afrique du Sud: I’adjudication des droits sociaux dans le context d’une constitution transformatrice” in P Bosset & L Lamarche (eds) Droit de cite pour les droits économiques, sociaux et culturels (2011) 405-459, Cowansville: Editions Yvon Blais [selected for translation into French from S Liebenberg “Adjudicating Social Rights under a Transformative Constitution” in M Langford (ed) Social Rights Jurisprudence: Emerging Trends in International and Comparative Law (2008) 75-101, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press].
  • S Liebenberg “Equality Rights and Children: Moving Beyond a One-Size Fits All Approach” in K Hall, I Woolard, L Lake & C Smith (eds) South African Child Gauge 2012 (2012) 24-31, Cape Town: Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town.
  • S Liebenberg “Socio-Economic Rights Beyond the Public/Private Divide” in M Langford, B Cousins, J Dugard, T Madlingozi (eds) Symbols or Substance? The Role and Impact of Socio-Economic Rights Strategies in South Africa (2014) 63-91, New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • S Liebenberg & KG Young “Adjudicating Social Rights: Can Democratic Experimentalism Help?” in H Alviar García, K Klare & LA Williams (eds) Socio-Economic Rights in Theory and Practice: Critical Inquiries (2015) 237-257, London: Routledge.
  • S Liebenberg “Direct Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in South Africa” in DM Chirwa & L Chenwi (eds) The Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa: International, Regional and National Perspectives (2016) 205-337, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • S Liebenberg “Embedding Socio-Economic Rights” in Reflections on the Bill of Rights (2018) 126-133, Cape Town: Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.
  • S Liebenberg “The Participatory Turn in South Africa’s Socio-Economic Rights Jurisprudence” in K Young (ed) The Future of Social Rights (2019) 187-211, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • S Liebenberg & RL Kolabhai “Private Power, Economic Transformation, and the Bill of Rights” Boggenpoel (ed) Law, Justice and Transformation (2022) 245-283, Durban: LexisNexis.
  • S Liebenberg “Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa’s Constitution: Aspirations, Achievements, Disappoints and Lessons” in K Casla, M Sepúlveda, V Silva & V Contreras (eds) Social Rights and the Constitutional Moment: Learning From Chile and International Experiences (2022) 61-74, Oxford: Hart Publishing.
  • S Liebenberg “Reasonableness Review” in K Young & M Langford (eds) Oxford Handbook of Economic and Social Rights (2023) published online (available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197550021.013.48), Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Journal articles/Joernaalartikels 

  • S Liebenberg “The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and its Implications for South Africa” (1995) 11 South African Journal on Human Rights 359-378
  • S Liebenberg “Social Rights in the Constitution: Towards Effective Equality for Women in South Africa” (1994) Third World Legal Studies Journal 225-242.
  • S Liebenberg “Identifying Violations of Socio-Economic Rights: The Role of the SA Human Rights Commission” (1997) 1 Law, Democracy & Development 161-191.
  • S Liebenberg “Social Citizenship: A Precondition for Meaningful Democracy” (1999) 40 AGENDA 59-65.
  • S Liebenberg “The Right to Social Assistance: The Implications of Grootboom for Policy Reform in South Africa” (2001) 17 South African Journal on Human Rights 232-257.
  • S Liebenberg & M O’Sullivan “South Africa’s New Equality Legislation: A Tool for Advancing Women’s Economic Equality?” (2001) Acta Juridica 70-103.
  • S Liebenberg “South Africa’s Evolving Jurisprudence on Socio-Economic Rights: An Effective Tool in Challenging Poverty?” (2002) 6 Law, Democracy & Development 159-191.
  • S Liebenberg (Guest Editor) Special issue entitled “Socio-Economic Rights and Transformation in South Africa” (2002) 6:2 Law, Democracy and Development 159-319.
  • S Liebenberg (Guest Editor) Special issue entitled “Socio-Economic Rights and Transformation in South Africa” (2003) 7:1 Law, Democracy and Development 1-169.
  • B Goldblatt & S Liebenberg “Giving Money to Children: The State’s Constitutional Obligations to Provide Child Support Grants to Child Headed Households” (2004) 20 South African Journal on Human Rights 151-164.
  • S Liebenberg “The Value of Human Dignity in Interpreting Socio-Economic Rights” (2005) 21 South African Journal on Human Rights 1-31.
  • S Liebenberg “Needs, Rights and Transformation: Adjudicating Social Rights in South Africa” (2006) 1 Stellenbosch Law Review 5-36.
  • S Liebenberg “The Adjudication of Social Rights under South Africa’s Transformative Constitution” (2006) 2 Chilean Human Rights Yearbook / Anuario De Derechos Humanos 53-72.
  • S Liebenberg & B Goldbatt “The Interrelationship between Equality Rights and Socio-Economic Rights under a Transformative Constitution” (2007) 23 South African Journal on Human Rights 335-361.
  • S Liebenberg “Towards a Transformative Adjudication of Socio-Economic Rights” (2007) 1 Speculum Juris 41-59.
  • S Liebenberg “The Application of Socio-Economic Rights to Private Law” (2008) 3 TSAR 464-480.
  • S Liebenberg “The Value of Freedom in Interpreting Socio-Economic Rights” (2008) Acta Juridica 149-176.
  • S Liebenberg “Grootboom and the Seduction of the Negative/Positive Rights Dichotomy” (2011) 26 SAPL 37-59.
  • S Liebenberg & G Quinot “Narrowing the Band: Reasonableness Review in Administrative Justice and Socio-Economic Rights Jurisprudence in South Africa” (2011) 3 Stellenbosch Law Review 639-663.
  • S Liebenberg “Engaging the Paradoxes of the Universal and Particular in Human Rights Adjudication: The Possibilities and Pitfalls of ‘Meaningful Engagement’” (2012) 12 African Human Rights Law Journal 1-29.
  • G Muller & S Liebenberg “Developing the Law of Joinder in the Context of the Eviction of People from their Homes” (2013) 29 SAJHR 554-570.
  • M Strauss & S Liebenberg “Contested Spaces: Evictions Law in Post-Apartheid South Africa” (2014) 13 Planning Theory 428-448.
  • S Liebenberg “Participatory Approaches to Socio-Economic Rights: Tentative Lessons from South African Evictions Law” (2014) 32 Nordic Journal on Human Rights 312-330.
  • S Liebenberg “Judicially Enforceable Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa: Between Light and Shadow” (2014) 37 Dublin University Law Journal 131-171.
  • S Liebenberg “From the Crucible of the Eastern Cape: New Legal Tools for the Poor” (2015) 28 Speculum Juris 1-18.
  • S Liebenberg “Towards an Equality Promoting Interpretation of Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa: Insights from the Egalitarian Liberal Tradition” (2015) 132 South African Law Journal 411-437.
  • K Moyo & S Liebenberg “The Privatization of Water Services: The Quest for Enhanced Human Rights Accountability” (2015) 37 Human Rights Quarterly 691-727.
  • S Liebenberg “Social Rights and Transformation in South Africa: Three Frames” (2015) 31 South African Journal on Human Rights 446-471.
  • S Liebenberg “Remedial Principles and Meaningful Engagement in Education Rights Disputes” (2016) 19 Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal / Potcheftroomse Elektroniese Regsblad <http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2016/v19i0a739>
  • S Liebenberg “Participatory Justice in Social Rights Adjudication” (2018) 18 Human Rights Law Review 623-649.
  • S Liebenberg “Between Sovereignty and Accountability: The Emerging Jurisprudence of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Under the Optional Protocol” (2020) 42 Human Rights Quarterly 48-84.
  • S Liebenberg “South Africa and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Deepening the Synergies” (2020) 3 SA Judicial Education Journal 13-41.
  • S Liebenberg “Austerity in the Midst of a Pandemic: Pursuing Accountability through the Socio-Economic Rights Doctrine of Non-Retrogression” (2021) 37 South African Journal on Human Rights 181-204.
  • S Liebenberg “The Art of the (Im)possible? Justice Froneman’s Contribution to Designing Remedies for Structural Human Rights Violations” (2022) 12 Constitutional Court Review 137-170.
  • Forthcoming: S Liebenberg & BV Slade “Applying a Human Rights Lens to Poverty and Economic Inequality: The Experience of the South African Human Rights Commission” (2023) Australian Federal Law Review.

Book reviews/Boekresensies 

  • S Liebenberg “The Constitutional Enforceability of Economic and Social Rights: The Meaning of the German Constitutional Model for South Africa by E de Wet” (1997) 13 South African Journal on Human Rights 163-168.
  • S Liebenberg “Poverty and Fundamental Rights: The Justification and Enforcement of Socio-Economic Rights by D Bilchitz” (2007) 4 South African Law Journal 882-889.
  • S Liebenberg Book review: B Ray Engaging with Social Rights: Procedure, Participation and Democracy in South Africa’s Second Wave (Cambridge University Press, 2016), 16 International Journal of Constitutional Law (2018) 289 – 296.
  • S Liebenberg “Tribute to Professor André van der Walt” (2018) The South African Law Journal 195-200.
  • S Liebenberg “Foreword” in J Hohmann & B Goldblatt (eds) in The Right to the Continuous Improvement of Living Conditions: Responding to Complex Global Challenge (2021) 5-6, Bloomsbury: Bloomsbury Publishing.
  • S Liebenberg “Foreword” in Section 27 (ed) Basic Education Handbook: Education Rights in South Africa (2022) 10-11.

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