Commissions Watch 1-2016

COMMISSIONS WATCH 1/2016

[17th April 2016]

Taking the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to the People

Coming Up This Week

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission will be meeting the people
at roadshows in Masvingo on Wednesday 20th and Chiredzi on Friday 22nd April. 
Details of venue and time below. 
Please spread this news to ensure good public attendance.

This bulletin introduces the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission’s APRIL-JULY OUTREACH PROGRAMME that will take the Commission to the people of Zimbabwe all-round the country.  We hope that recipients will do their best to ensure that as many people as possible hear about the programme and are encouraged to attend. 

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [ZHRC or Commission] is one of the five independent commissions established by Chapter 12 of the Constitution [“Independent Commissions Supporting Democracy”].  Its broad constitutional mandate is to support and entrench human rights and democracy, promote constitutionalism and ensure that injustices are remedied, among other things.  The functions of the Commission are outlined in section 243 of the Constitution and include—

- to promote awareness of and respect for human rights and freedoms at all levels of society

- to monitor, assess and ensure observance of human rights and freedoms

- to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate

- to protect the public against abuse of power and maladministration by State and public institutions and by officers of those institutions

- to secure appropriate redress, including recommending the prosecution of offenders, where human rights or freedoms have been violated

Background to and Purpose of the Outreach Project

The Baseline Survey on Perception, Attitudes and Understanding on Human Rights in Zimbabwe conducted by the Commission (2013 – 2014) revealed low levels of awareness about the existence of the Commission.  It is against this background that the Commission has decided to scale up awareness-raising to ensure increased visibility of the Commission so that more people are able to engage with it.  The Commission has partnered with three Civil Society Organisations in a project aimed at “taking the Commission to the people”.  The project involves 12 outreaches being conducted between April and July 2016 to take the Commission to different areas in Zimbabwe, both urban and rural, as scheduled in the table set out below. [Please note that the first outreach took place on 8th April in Highfield, Harare and has therefore been omitted from the table.]

How Outreach Activity will be Conducted

The outreach meetings will be in the form of roadshows.  During the roadshows, officials from the Commission will distribute materials and give brief presentations on the work of the Commission.  Each presentation will be followed by a question and answer segment that those in attendance are encouraged to participate in.  Participants who answer the questions correctly stand a chance to win prizes.  There will also be music and dance at the roadshows.  The outreach programme is designed to be interactive so that participants can learn about human rights issues as well as how to interface with the Commission.

Details of Outreach Programme

Activity Date

Time

District

Area

Venue

20 April

10 am to 2 pm

Masvingo Urban

Mucheke

Mucheke Hall

22 April

10 am to 2 pm

Chiredzi

Tshovani

Fact Hall, Tshovani

4 May

10 am to 2 pm

Bulawayo

Nkulumane

Sekhusile Market Place

6 May

10 am to 2 pm

Kezi-Matobo

Kezi

Maphisa Business Centre

13 May

10 am to 2 pm

Mutoko

Mutoko Centre

Mutoko Centre Shops

18 May

10 am to 2 pm

Chegutu

Pfupajena

Pfupajena Township

20 May

10 am to 2 pm

Gokwe

Gokwe Centre

Anglican Church, Gokwe Centre

2 June

10 am to 2 pm

Kariba

Nyamhunga

Baptist Church –Nyamhunga

9 June

10 am to 2 pm

Chimanimani

Chimanimani

Chimanimani Bus Terminus

23 June

10 am to 2 pm

Binga

Manjolo

Manjolo Shopping Centre 4

7 July

10 am to 2 pm

Bindura

Chipadze

Tendai Hall


Later bulletins will contain reminders of each month’s outreach programme.

 

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