SayProCMR Human Rights Day SpeechBy Tsakane Rikhotso, Chief Monitoring Officer, SayPro

Delivered on Human Rights Day

Good morning, SayPro family, partners, stakeholders, and all those committed to justice and dignity,

Today, we stand united to honour Human Rights Day — not as a mere formality on the calendar, but as a powerful reminder of what we owe to every person in every community: respect, protection, opportunity, and truth.

As SayPro’s Chief Monitoring Officer, I live in the space where vision meets verification — where bold promises are translated into measurable impact. On this day, where we commemorate the courage of those who sacrificed for our freedoms, I feel deeply the weight and importance of accountability.

We cannot talk about human rights without talking about results.
We cannot celebrate justice if our programmes are not reaching those who need them most.
We cannot claim progress when we have not measured it.

That is why, at SayPro, monitoring is not just a technical function — it is a moral obligation. It is how we hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve. It is how we make sure that our interventions in education, youth development, entrepreneurship, and social impact are not just active — but effective.

Human rights are not achieved through slogans. They are achieved when:

• A girl in a rural village completes school with dignity,
• A youth-led startup receives support and grows sustainably,
• A community can access healthcare, training, and hope —
  And when all of this can be traced, tested, and trusted.

This year, we remember Sharpeville — not only as a place of tragedy, but as a beacon of truth-telling. The brave people who marched against injustice were demanding to be seen, to be counted, to matter. That is what monitoring is at its core — a commitment to visibility, to voice, and to value.

We at SayPro monitor not just numbers, but lives impacted.
We track not just processes, but people’s progress.
We evaluate not only success, but whether that success is shared fairly and felt deeply.

Human Rights Day reminds us that freedom without follow-through is meaningless. Equality without evaluation is empty. Justice without genuine monitoring is delayed.

That is why, under my leadership, SayPro’s Monitoring Office is focused on:

• Making data transparent and inclusive,
• Listening actively to the feedback of beneficiaries,
• Ensuring every project is aligned with human rights principles,
• And driving evidence-informed improvement at every level.

Our work is not just to check boxes — it’s to build bridges between intention and impact. It’s to hold ourselves to the highest standards — not because we’re being watched, but because we believe in what we do.

As we reflect on Human Rights Day, let’s commit to a future where:

• Rights are not just promised but proven,
• Services are not just delivered but felt,
• And change is not just spoken about but measured, monitored, and made real.

SayPro is proud to be part of that future. And I am proud to be among those who make sure our progress is never just assumed — but always accountable, accurate, and alive in the lives of our people.

Thank you, and may this day inspire not only remembrance — but rigour, responsibility, and results.