April 1, 2020
Zimbabwe COVID-19 Lockdown
Monitoring Report
31 March 2020 – Day 2
1.0 Introduction
On day 2...
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March 31, 2020
On 27 March 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa issued a directive for a 21-day Lockdown starting from Monday 30 March 2020 as part of government’s measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. During the declaration, the President advised of the deployment of the security forces to enforce the National Lockdown. Given the possibility of human rights abuses being perpetrated by security forces in enforcing the directive based on August 2018 and January 2019 incidences, the Forum Secretariat and Forum Members have commenced monitoring and documentation of the Lockdown for possible human rights violations.
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February 26, 2020
Our Genesis
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum), was established in 1998. The Forum came into existence following the State’s repressive response to the 1998 Food Riots. From an initial membership of eight human rights organisations in Zimbabwe, the Forum has grown to twenty human rights organisations working in areas of women’s rights, children’s rights, youths, LGBT rights, prisoners’ rights, freedom of expression and of the media, anti-corruption, good governance, peacebuilding, and non-violent ways of conflict resolution.
As the biggest and oldest human rights coalition in the country, our influence is unrivalled. Our products have received international recognition and been listed by credible academic institutions, including Stanford University, among many others. Our transitional justice interventions have inspired the birth of a continental movement and have been featured as a case study in the University of Cape town’s Governance, Society, and Development in Africa...
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February 19, 2020
On the 18th of June 2019, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) launched its anti- impunity report at a breakfast meeting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harare. The report is an indicator of how impunity undermines democratic gains and the primary obstacle to upholding the rule of law. The launch was a further highlight to all citizens the need for government to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT) and to ensure that the State makes a step towards fighting impunity and fully recognise the gravity of the torture situation in Zimbabwe.
Read the full report on this link Anti Impunity Report Launch
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February 18, 2020
This is a Shadow Report prepared by a consortium of civil society organisations (CSOs) based in Zimbabwe to supplement, and in some cases controvert the contents of the 11th – 15th Combined State Party Report submitted by the government of Zimbabwe (GoZ), for consideration during the 64th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
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ZIMBABWE CIVIC ORGANISATIONS’ SHADOW REPORT
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December 11, 2019
In February 2019 the Forum produced a report that documented 17 cases of rape and sexual assault and other violations during the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) organised stay-away between the 14th – 16th January 2019. The violations were allegedly perpetrated by the military and the police service. The basis of this paper is to ascertain whether the events of this period, particularly the rape and sexual assault meet the elements of crimes against humanity.
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Burdened by Disgrace
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December 10, 2019
The promises of the new dispensation have disintegrated. From the hope and optimism that characterised the November 2017 transition from the de facto one-man rule under Robert Mugabe, many Zimbabweans are now left with a lasting sense of despair and hopelessness. It appears the justice delivery system has been weaponised against government critics, and due process has become elusive for those charged with public order crimes and crimes against the state.
This report examines the period from August 2018 to February 2019 and assesses the extent to which the formal legal protections granted by the Constitution of Zimbabwe, and under international law, were followed. It concludes with recommendations on the de-politicisation of the criminal justice delivery system to ensure that the law is not weaponised or abused.
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Justice under siege
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December 10, 2019
Statement on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day
10 December 2019
Today: 10 December 2019 the world commemorates the International Human Rights Day. The International Human Rights Day marks the 61st anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the Declaration) in 1948.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) joins the world in commemorating this day. The Forum recognises this ground-breaking Declaration in the history of human rights globally. Zimbabwe has embraced the Declaration by incorporating its provisions in its Constitution, expounded under the Bill of Rights.
The 2019 commemorations are being held under the global theme, Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. The United Nations in coming up with this theme, aims to celebrate the potential of youth in facilitating sustainable development, amplify their voices, and engage a broad range of global audiences in the promotion and protection of rights. It is within that context that th...
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December 5, 2019
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum compiled a report analysing state violence against children during the January 2019 protests titled – Hear them Cry. Representatives from various organisations which interact with children’s rights came to the launch and joined in the commemorations on the Universal Children’s Day which coincided with the launch of the Report. The launch sought to reiterate the need for government to protect children in times of conflict and in their interaction with the criminal justice system. In addition, children’s rights are not to be viewed as divorced from the overall rights that obtain from them being human. What was witnessed in January was a complete disregard of human rights as enshrined in the Constitution which are enjoyed by children as they have rights too. With this background of the report, it was befitting to launch it on Universal Children’s Day.
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December 5, 2019
Press Statement Commemorating International Day For Tolerance
16 November 2019
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) joins the world in commemorating the International Day for Tolerance. This is a day set aside by the United Nations on 16 November to affirm the commitment to strengthening tolerance through encouraging mutual understanding for different cultures and peoples.
On the occasion of the International Day of Tolerance, the Forum, a broad coalition of human rights organisation in Zimbabwe, officially launches the tolerance campaign.
Our 2018 State of Human Rights report launched on 15 October 2019 documents high level intolerance leading an increase in the violation of human rights. In the New Deception Report released in August 2019 records a shocking increase in civilian violence. While we note that most of the violations documented are cases of organised violence, the participation of individuals and the rise in hate speech indicates dangerous levels of intolera...
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