Kader Asmal

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Kader Asmal (born 8 October 1934) is a South African politician. He is a professor of human rights at the University of the Western Cape, chairman of the council of the University of the North and vice-president of the African Association of International Law. He is married to Louise Parkinson and has two sons.

[edit] Early life

Kader grew up in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal and while still a school-boy he met with Chief Albert Luthuli who inspired him towards human rights. In 1959, Kader qualified as a teacher, moved to London where he enrolled at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

[edit] Political career

While in London he started the British Anti-Apartheid Movement and when he joined the Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland as a teacher of human rights, labour and international law, he started the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement. Kader qualified as a barrister, LLM(LSE) and MA(Dublin) in both the London and Dublin Bars. In 1983, he was awarded the Prix Unesco for his involvement in the international inquiries into human rights violations. Kader served on the African National Congress' constitutional committee from 1986. In 1990, Kader returned to South Africa and shortly afterwards was elected to the African National Congress' National Executive Committee.

He joined the cabinet in 1994.

In 1999 he became Minister of Education after the South African general elections.