Sharing Blog

Short film: ‘mapping for justice’- a story about long-lasting battle for customary rights within South Africa’s first UNESCO world heritage site

Philile Mbatha, One Ocean Hub. University of Cape Town

One Ocean Hub, University of Cape Town

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Theme
Tag
  • 2023,
  • advocacy,
  • Ancestral Land,
  • artisanal fisheries,
  • coastal communities,
  • biodiversity,
  • Empatheatre,
  • human rights,
  • conservation,
  • Blue Justice
Target Group
  • Policy makers,
  • Journalists
Language
  • English
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Research co-produced by the Hub and the local community highlights poor participation, and lack of recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural heritage in UNESCO world heritage site

Published on December 2023, this blog describes the film ‘Mapping for Justice’ showing how the Hub together with its partners in South Africa have been supporting the people of Kosi Bay to claim recognition of their customary rights in the context of the iSimangaliso UNESCO World Heritage Site. Research co-produced by the Hub and the local community highlights poor participation, and lack of recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural heritage related to coastal land as human rights issues arise from the exclusionary nature of conservation and ocean governance processes and practices at local, national and international levels.

“The film highlights how the community calls for the recognition of customary rights in ocean and conservation governance, and appeals to decision-makers at local, national and international levels to address the exclusion of local and indigenous knowledge and rights in ocean and conservation governance”, Hub Deputy Director Philile Mbatha says.