The Legal Resources Centre, in partnership with the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), has received the SNC-Lavalin Group Award for Improvement of Social Infrastructure, for the Constitutional Litigation Project in South Africa.

This was one of seven Canadian Awards for International cooperation given out by Minister Whelan recently. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has supported the linkage between the CBA and LRC through the ConstitutionalLitigation Unit (CLU) in South Africa since 1995. The CLU scourt challenges to the South African constitution to protect and advance the rights of the poor and marginalized.

Its work has led to a series of landmark constitutional judgements, establishing housing and land rights, expanding government's obligations to provide social services, strengthening rights of immigrants andprisoners, and upholding equality provisions for women and children. Last year the LRC represented the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), which successfully challenged the South African government's decision not to provide pregnant mothers with nevirapine, a drug which greatly reduces the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

This judgement promises to prevent HIV-infection for tens of thousands of children. The CLU has also worked in partnership with public interest law centres in the Southern Africa Region on women's rights under customary law and legal protection for refugees.