Western Cape High Court Declares Provisions of Refugees Act Unconstitutional
The Western Cape High Court has delivered a groundbreaking judgment, declaring key provisions of the Refugees Act and its regulations unconstitutional. The ruling, brought by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town and Lawyers for Human Rights, challenges policies that denied asylum seekers access to the system, leading to their arrest and deportation without due process. Key findings include the invalidation of provisions that excluded individuals on procedural grounds and regulations that barred most new asylum seekers...
A New Era for the Catholic Church
On 8 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, greeted by a jubilant crowd in St. Peter’s Square. Dressed in white and red, his words as pope resonated across the plaza: “God loves us, all of us. Evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.”
Feminization of Migration: Guest Lecture Presentation
On the 16th of April 2025 the Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility’s Head of Research, Dr Rachel Chinyakata delivered a lecture at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The lecture was organized by the Department of Women and Gender Studies at UWC as part of their Gender and Development module for third-year students. The lecture specifically focused on Gender, inequality and development zoning into the position of women in the global economy. A discussion of...
Message from the General Administration: Pope Francis, shepherd of mercy: a legacy that illuminates the path of the Church
The news of the passing of our beloved Holy Father Pope Francis leaves us deeply saddened, but our faith in the Resurrection comforts us. "Life does not end with death, and Christian hope is a gift that urges us to move forward," he wrote in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti. With him, the Church experienced a season of profound renewal, founded on mercy, closeness to the least among us, attention to God's creation and universal brotherhood, on an unceasing dialogue...
SIHMA Pays Tribute to Pope Francis: A Legacy of Compassion and Justice
SIHMA, the Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa, is deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Catholics around the world. In a world often divided by borders and ideologies, there are figures who transcend barriers, weaving a narrative of hope, compassion, and humanity. Pope Francis was such a figure. His papacy lit the darkest corners of society, embracing the sidelined and uniting millions under the banner...
Fleeing War, Finding Uncertainty: The Challenges Faced by Sudanese Refugees in Egypt
Background During the early twentieth century, Sudan was a protectorate of Egypt (in the north) and the United Kingdom (in the south), known as the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium. But, in 1956, the Republic of Sudan declared independence after Egypt and the United Kingdom relinquished their sovereignty. However, at this time, there was a stark divide between the northern region (wealthier, Muslim majority) and the southern region (less developed and Christian majority. This...
