LDD’s first year as an open-access electronic journal has flown by, and two things can be said: while it’s been a learning curve, we are still just beginning to discover the potential of this medium of publication. Google tells part of the story. Any search for the journal now brings up large numbers of hits. It is hosted on a growing number of scholarly websites. There is no way of telling how many researchers have visited LDD on these websites or, indeed, our own. But it is safe to say that the exposure we, and our authors, are now enjoying is much greater than it was a year ago.

On Thursday 16 June 2011 the International Labour Conference, meeting in Geneva for its 100^th session, adopted Convention 189 on Domestic Workers (by 396 votes to 16, with 63 abstentions), supported by Recommendation 201 (adopted by 434 votes to 8, with 42 abstentions).

This is not the end of the process. The next challenge is to persuade member states of the ILO to ratify it. After that will come the struggle for appropriate legislation.

The news of Kader Asmal’s death has left a sense of shock and loss, not only in the UWC community, not only among his comrades in the African National Congress but in many circles of society, in South Africa and abroad, where his forthright and often controversial views found an echo.

It comes as a shock because, despite health problems, Kader was in many ways larger than life – his spirit so indomitable, his outlook so vigorous, that it’s hard to believe that he’s gone.

This special issue of Law, Democracy & Development focuses on strengthening parliamentary oversight and civil society participation with Parliament to improve the implementation of human rights in South Africa. It has grown out of the work of the Parliamentary Programme at the Community Law Centre, University of the Western Cape which is funded by the European Union (www.peopletoparliament.org.za).

A great deal of legal and policy foundation has been laid for promoting gender mainstreaming in development and, since the 1995 International Women’s Conference in Beijing, there have been serious attempts to implement this strategy at various levels. Plausible as the concept may be, this article contends that the status of women can only be advanced through gender mainstreaming strategies that are adapted to each specific culture, place and political context.

Although not generally accorded primary consideration during armed conflict, a vast number of provisions aimed at protecting the natural environment in times of war exist under international law. This article critically and comprehensively examines the challenges presented in terms of liability and redress for damage caused to the natural environment during armed conflict.

Parliaments are guardians of human rights due to their role of representing the people in the management of public affairs. The activities of parliaments cover the entire spectrum of human rights and have an immediate impact on the enjoyment,   protection andpromotion of rights.

There is a growing realisation that urbanisation has overstretched the ability and efforts of central governments to serve from the centre, giving rise to the search for a robust decentralisation policy that vests urban local government with some level of autonomy. However, efforts to capacitate urban councils through the process of decentralisation are futile if urban local government lacks the financial means to fulfil their responsibilities.

It has become internationally recognised that the right of access to water is fundamental to life and health. Furthermore, it is indispensable for leading a life of human dignity.The South African Constitution expressly recognises this right.

The Ethiopian FEACC is a dedicated anti-corruption agency, invested with expansive powers to combat corruption in the country.  It was established in 2001 in the context of the accelerated internationalisation of anti-corruption law. The mandate of the FEACC is wide, spanning the prevention, investigation and prosecution of all forms of corruption in Ethiopia.

South Africa in reality harbours two separate education systems in its public school domain: one consisting of the former white schools, which is adequately resourced, and the other constituting the township and rural schools entrenched in abject poverty. The current school funding system perpetuates this state of inequality.

The Forum on China-African Cooperation (FOCAC) has entered its second decade. Though the political driving force remains vital, development towards a more mature, long-term stable and effective cooperation mechanism and organisation has become unavoidable.

The author argues that, when one turns to the subject of South Africa’s state reporting in relation to international human rights law, three issues consistently come to light: delays in the submission of reports; problems with their content; and lack of consultation in their development.