24 May 2018
Thirty-two representatives from government ministries and departments, members of the UPR steering committee, independent commissions, traditional leaders, parliamentarians, civil society organisations, labour and business, diplomatic community, United Nations Country Team and permanent secretaries of ministries leading implementation of cluster recommendations met at Crowne Plaza in Harare for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) stakeholders consultative meeting.
The UPR is a human rights mechanism adopted by the United Nations (UN) to review the implementation of human rights in all the UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a state driven process that provides the opportunity for each state to identify key human rights issues and challenges as well as to periodically declare what actions it has taken to improve human rights situations and fulfil human rights obligations.
Zimbabwe’s first review was contemplated in 2010 while the cycle started in 2011 and the final adoption of the recommendations was in March 2012. The second cycle began in November 2016 and it was completed on 26 March 2017. Zimbabwe was given 260 recommendations and out of these, 151 were accepted while 103 were noted. 6 recommendations were partially supported and regarded as not a priority by the government.
The meeting concurred that strategic priorities towards improved promotion, respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights in Zimbabwe should include prioritisation of National Plan Action, disseminating tools to allow stakeholders to track implementations of the recommendations, effective coordination between stakeholders in the implementation of the UPR recommendations to avoid duplication and address funding challenges, spreading reach of UPR consultations to include rural areas, organising of more technical informal meetings between quarterly meetings in order to take stock of implementation as well as broadening implementation of recommendations and interrogating those that were not accepted.
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) pledged to include UPR recommendations in their workplan and also to encourage ministries to take part in implementing recommendations. The meeting noted that there is need to hold wide consultations in a bid to achieve total abolishment of the death penalty. It was also stated that there is need to speed up realignment of key legislations and prepare explanatory circulars. Other prominent issues that the workshop brought out were strengthening the fight against impunity, registering and licensing community radio stations to enhance engagement of the nation in UPR processes, allocating adequate resources from the national budget for the UPR and regular monitoring of the UPR by stakeholders.
The various stakeholders that were present resolved three next steps. The steps are forging better coordination mechanisms in implementing the UPR processes, continuous holding of periodic meetings and encouraging donours to support implementation of the UPR recommendations.
Human Rights NGO Forum, National Association of Non-Governmental Organisation (NANGO) and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human rights (ZLHR) will be facilitating capacity building workshops for civil society organisations and community based organisations on the universal periodic review. The workshops will be held in Gweru, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Mutare from Tuesday to Friday next week, respectively.
The objectives of the workshops are to capacitate CSOs and CBOs to participate in the monitoring and implementation of accepted recommendations, to develop partnerships that help in coordination of better compiling of shadow reports and to Come up with a framework of preparing a report for the next cycle.
24 May 2018
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) commends the Zimbabwean government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care for acknowledging the essentiality of sunscreen lotions for people with albinism.
People with albinism have extremely sensitive skin and therefore need sunscreen lotion to protect them from ultraviolet rays of the sun. Unfortunately, import duty put on skin care products required by people with albinism makes the prices beyond the reach of many.
The Albino Trust Zimbabwe is lobbying for removal of import duty on sunscreen lotions used by people with albinism, however, ZIMRA is adamant in its claims that sunscreen lotion is a cosmetic not an essential drug.
To circumvent this barrier, Albino Trust Zimbabwe Director, Bruce Nyoni, has engaged a dermatologist and pharmacist to assist the organisation in manufacturing good quality sunscreen lotion that will be affordable to all people with albinism.
Nyoni told NANGO that most people with albinism are unemployed and some of them may not be qualified for formal employment as they fail to continue their education due to visual impairment.
Nyoni toured a sunscreen manufacturing plant in South Africa where he discovered that the end product is worth approximately US$2 whereas in Zimbabwe the same product is sold at an exorbitant price of $20 to $23. He also alleged that in the black market poor quality lotion is put in expensive containers and sold to unknowing people with albinism.
According to Nyoni the product that his organisation intends to manufacture will be tailor made to suit Zimbabwean weather as opposed to lotions that are imported from the diaspora which may not be effective under the Zimbabwean weather.
The Albino Trust Zimbabwe feels that its pleas for consideration of sunscreen lotion as an essential drug have landed on deaf ears and have therefore come to the decision to raise funds and make a sunscreen lotion that will be affordable especially to Zimbabwean rural children with albinism.
The Albino Trust Zimbabwe is a youth led organisation that advocates for the rights and welfare of people with albinism. It helps people with albinism by sourcing and providing essentials such as sunscreen lotions, sunglasses, food and clothing items. The organisation has had campaigns for inclusion and access to education as well as against discrimination and stigma.
24 May 2018
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) stands in solidarity with six Zambian civil society members and activists that who are being charged with disobeying lawful orders after they held a protest last September demanding public accountability from their national government.
NANGO asserts that budgetary processes must prioritise betterment of the lives of ordinary people and also values transparency and accountability and commends any institution that holds public officials to account.
Through the peaceful protest, the six activists were demanding that the full public resource management processes that led to the purchase of the 42 fire trucks by the Zambian Ministry of Local Government at a cost of 42 million US dollars, be open to public scrutiny. The protest was held on the day that the then Minister of Finance, Felix Mutati, was presenting Zambia’s 2018 National Budget.
Under the Joint Action for Accountability in Zambia, Zambian civil society organisations issued a statement asserting that budgetary choice making and procurement process of the fire engines was imprudent and a form of mismanagement of public resources.
NANGO recommends that in order to improve macroeconomic policy formulation and implementation processes all governments should put in place platforms for participation by ordinary citizens like pre-budget consultations by both parliament and the Ministry of Finance.
NANGO is a non-party political, non-profit making organisation and non-denominational official coordinating body of NGOs in Zimbabwe. NANGO values participation. diversity, non-discrimination, equity, equality, engagement as well as transparency and accountability.
10 May 2018
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) has identified 30 members of parliament that make contributions regarding child development during parliamentary debates. Of these, five will be honored as Child Champions for the year 2017.
NANGO commends key individuals from parliament who have shown immense interest in child development. Through the Child Friendly National Budget Initiative (CFNBI), NANGO intends to advocate and lobby for more child friendly budget initiatives, inform the consigned child champions on the unexploited points of the Children Ten-Point Plan Plus and equip child champions with relevant knowledge and information in order for them to continue with effective lobby and advocacy for child friendly budgeting.
NANGO envisions a Zimbabwe where there is continued effective lobbying and advocacy for child friendly budget initiative by members of parliament and an enhanced child friendly budget in 2019 as a result of effective lobbying and advocacy.
Parliamentarians have a critical role of advancing child development and they can only do this effectively if they are sensitive to child issues. National assembly debates, which are sensitive to the development issues of children, are paramount in pushing for reforms that are critical in creating a nation providing children an opportunity to attain their full capacities.
With this in mind, NANGO with support from Save the Children and UNICEF, has been implementing the CFNBI whose main objective is to increase the level of and spaces for child participation in democratic development processes mainly policy planning and budgeting.
The CFNBI has been lobbying for increased public-sector investment in child friendly sectors such as education, health, child protection and social safety among others. Members of parliament were engaged by NANGO in a bid to sensitise and lobby them to champion child friendly policies and expenditures seeing as parliamentarians play the role of providing oversight on policy and legislative development as well as public expenditure management. The engagement process involved building the capacity and sensitization of parliamentarians so that they can effectively debate and lobby for the progressive realization of child rights.
Being an implementing partner of the CFNBI, NANGO facilitated the development of the Ten-Point Plan Plus with consultation from junior parliamentarians and counselors. The document is a lobbying and advocacy tool for children inclusivity in policy issues. The tool also includes issues specifically for and by children with disability. The Children Ten-Point Plan was used as a tool to influence the 2018 National Budget with specific issues towards child focused development. NANGO coordinated a post budget review with junior parliamentarians and it is pleasing to note that some of the issues raised or presented in the Children Ten-Point Plus were incorporated in the 2018 National budget.
Currently, child development issues are fragmented within various ministries coordinating piecemeal child development issues. These ministries include the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Child Care and Ministry of Home Affairs amongst others. Lack of a clear institutional framework that can act as a one stop shop for child development issues creates gaps which Parliament should address as they carry out their work.
Senior Social Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Onias Munamati, (right) posing next to
one of the child champions, Shamva South MP, Joseph Mapiki.
10 May 2018
Harare civil society organisations that came together at a multi-stakeholder Conflict Management, Resolution and Transformation training that was hosted by the Non-State Actors Alliance (NSAA) identified socio-economic and political factors currently affecting Zimbabwe as probable factors of causing conflict.
Participants cited cash shortages, high unemployment rate, informal sector, escalating poverty levels and gender based violence as socio-economic factors that often cause conflict in communities.
With regards to cash shortages, representatives of civil society said the root cause includes corruption, closure of companies, lack of political will, lack of confidence in the banking system and lack of foreign direct investment.
On the other hand, impending elections, just ended primary election, noting of voter registration slip serial numbers and splitting of main opposition political party were stated as examples of political conflict.
Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET) Coordinator, Michelle Duma, informed attendants that when there is conflict, people often see the world differently. The experiences, cultures, religions, sense of identity, perceptions, and beliefs of each individual or group help shape how the person or group feels and acts in the conflict.
“The frustration or denial of human needs and human rights leads to conflictual behaviour, a sense of trauma, and violence. Conflict occurs when people seek to satisfy their own needs at the expense of others. Some people believe that they have the right to meet their own needs at the expense of others,” she said.
Duma added that “For most people in response to conflict fighting is often the first instinct. There is an element of physical abuse and feelings being hurt needs not met, rights being violated and the need for total victory by involved parties causes violence to spread when it starts. Those watching tend to take sides and others join in depending on their interests.”
The meeting noted that as part of conflict management, resolution and transformation, peace building initiatives need to be intensified as conflict in communities often worsens during election periods. community members use the time to settle scores and seek vengeance for past offences.
3 May 2018
Fifteen female arts leaders from Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Swaziland and Zimbabwe have said there is need to strengthen advocacy in order to bring out issues affecting women in the creative sector.
The diverse group of women agreed that in order to develop the creative industry, the sector should have broader representation and have a mandate that will serve the interests of the entire sector. They said this is reliant on effective advocacy.
Maxim Murungweni, the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children Programmes Manager, encouraged the women in arts leadership to improve their advocacy strategies.
“Advocacy is a structured process, it’s different from campaigning and activism. Women in arts are raising genuine issues but if they do not know who to direct their concerns to they won’t get desired solutions,” said Murungweni.
He emphasised that arts leaders should not waste their time on people that do not have the power to influence decisions.
The female leaders in arts and culture were also enlightened on the importance of advocacy communication and the importance of improving the visibility of their organisations.
Nokholo Mhluzani, the Senior Communications and Visibility Officer at NANGO, informed the female leaders on the importance of matching advocacy strategies to communication tactics.
“There is a lot of advocacy out there and creators need to establish how they add to the landscape. There is need to figure out how communication of those in the creative industry adds value,” she said.
Mhluzani reminded the female leaders that women already receive very low print and broadcast media coverage so they need to embrace cyber space and use it to grow their brands.
Florence Mukanga-Majachani, an artist and independent researcher, said “In developing women in the arts there is need to consult them. If development goes ahead of culture it will fail, disregarding women is counterproductive.”
Mukanga-Majachani further went to quote the Agenda 2063 which calls for “An Africa where development is people driven, unleashing the potential of women and youth.”
She highlighted how the Agenda 2063 calls on African countries to value the input of women and youth.
Zimbabwe Arterial Network hosted the three-day intensive workshop targeting emerging and established arts leaders within non-profit cultural organisations and private enterprises at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).
The female artists were trained under the Non-State Actors Alliance (NSAA) which has a mandate of downstream training of non-state actors and NANGO members. NANGO has an arts and culture sector and envisions a time when the government and other stakeholders will recognise arts and culture as positive and effective vehicles for national development.
Maxim Murungweni presenting on advocacy
A sharp voice full of agony and resistance was heard screaming from the next room at the girl’s hostel. Her utterances could not be heard as they were engulfed in her weeping. The poor helpless girl’s scream faded out with time and a hoarse voice was head saying ‘After all you are my girlfriend’, that was the end of the long argument. Date rape is a situation where one is forced into having sexual intercourse with a partner he or she is dating.
MISA Zimbabwe joins the world in commemorating World Radio Day. This day is celebrated annually on the 13th of February and this year’s commemorations are being held under the theme: Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace.
This year’s theme acknowledges the role played by radio in facilitating dialogue and building tolerance through respectful sharing of divergent views, thus fostering peace within communities and nations.
The theme is indeed timeous for Zimbabwe as it coincides with the repeated calls for meaningful national dialogue to address the country’s deteriorating socio-economic and political environment in the wake of the disputed outcome of the 2018 presidential elections. Follow the link below for the complete statement
27 Oct 2017
1. Background
Could it be that collective work towards a national vision for Zimbabwe is the missing link in the development discourse in Zimbabwe?. In 2017, the political, social and economic environment continued to play a decisive role in determining the extent to which the citizens can or cannot realize their social, economic and political rights. The economic recession, coupled with cyclic abuse of power, impunity, social economic and political exclusion has seen the majority of the population particularly the marginalized susceptible to hunger, social dislocation of families, high levels of poverty, unemployment and underemployment, violations of human rights, not withstanding the severe shrinking of NGOs operation spaces.
Zimbabwe is currently implementing the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET) which is the economic blue print guiding the country for the period 2013-2018. Agenda 2030, Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper whilst and consultations are underway for ZIMASSET 2, Special Economic Zones and how to harmonize Investment laws in Zimbabwe. What has been the major challenge is the limited or lack of involvement of non-state actors in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of national development policies and programs. The mammoth task ahead of Zimbabwe on the economic, social and political sphere demands more structured multi stakeholder collaborations and partnerships between government and non-state actors on actions and activities, which are crucial in addressing these challenges bedeviling the country. The critical role those non-state actors can play in aiding development and social economic protection of citizens is not debatable. It is therefore imperative that the NGO Directors Summer School brings together government, development partners, Commissions and other non-state actors I order to strengthen relations and chat a common way forward for Zimbabwe.
The relationship between government and non-state actors has not been smooth in the last decade with counter accusations over the years that have led to reduced engagement and collaboration levels on development issues between government and CSOs. This has compromised development and further marginalized vulnerable groups and communities.
2017 has been one of the most difficult years for government, non-state actors and even political parties. As the country gears for another harmonized election in 2018, government continues to experience tight fiscal constraint envisaged by lack of cash, and escalating costs of living amid suppressed salaries for the bulk of the labor force. For non-state actors, 2017 has seen intensification in shrinking of operating spaces, outright human rights violations targeting both the general citizenry and some human rights defenders, and massive donor flight. This has resulted in scaling down of programming work the most hit being Community Based Organizations. On the political arena the increase disjointed pressure groupings that are openly calling for various government reforms has not made any meaningful. This comes amid incessant corruption in government, unemployment, increasing poverty, poor service delivery, decline in health care and education systems, and the general contempt for the rule of law by the police. Whilst intra and inter political party violence and discord increases at the expense of national development discourses thus further disenfranchising the already marginalized communities.
It is therefore crucial for the Directors of NGOs to meet and develop a precise strategic plan that will determine alternative pathways for non-state actors. It is also necessary for NGO Directors to deliberate, discuss and agree on definitive thematic cluster priority actions and gaps, determine the engagement processes with the government and other key stakeholders, develop synergies, mechanisms and response systems to the prolonged closing up of the operating environment for NGOs and the effects of the run up to 2018 elections. This year’s summer school is aimed at dialogue towards a National Vision for Zimbabwe that promotes Transformation and Sustainable Resilient Societies
2. Why the Summer School?
NANGO is a meeting place of the hopes and aspirations of millions of men and women in their capacities as the disabled, the vulnerable, the displaced, the oppressed and a host of other marginalized groups. Concomitantly NANGO bears the responsibility of unifying these various concerns by creating spaces for collaboration, mutual support and the development of common best practices. One of these spaces is the annual NGO Directors Summer School, a platform created for senior leadership in the NGO Sector to meet and share knowledge and information with development partners, government and the corporate community. One of the aims being to facilitate dialogue and creation of synergies amongst various stakeholders in an endeavor to bridge the gap between the general citizenry and policy makers for meaningful realization of national development.
3. Objectives of the 2017 NGO Directors Summer School
4. Expected Outputs
5. Stakeholders to the Conference
It is expected that the strategic planning meeting will bring together 100 NGO Directors from across the country. Also the following stakeholders have been invited as well to share experiences and knowledge: Government Ministries and Institutions, Labor, Development Partners, >Private Sector and >the Church
6. Methodology/Activities
DAY 1>: 9 November 2017: NGO 2017 Update, state of civil society: “ towards a National Vision for Zimbabwe”
The first day will be a working session for stakeholders whose main purpose is to assess implementation progress for 2017, define NGO engagement strategy within the current context and define the role of non state actors in Agenda 2030, peaceful 2018 elections and towards a National Vision for Zimbabwe. This will inform and enrich the multi-stakeholder donor, government and business discussions that will take place the next day.
DAY 2: >10 November 2017: Multi-stakeholder Dialogue: “ Promoting transformation and sustainable resilient societies”
Day two will focus on dialogue between civil society, development partners, government and business. The day will explore critical development ideas, good governance and explore opportunities for partnerships between state and non-state actors. It will be a platform for different stakeholders to dialogue on measures necessary to ensure that Zimbabweans, both state and non- state actors work towards promoting transformation and sustainable resilient societies. Stakeholders shall be drawn from a variety of sectors.
7. Conference Schedule and Venue
The meeting will take place from 9-10 November 2017 as follows.
9 November 2017: NGO 2017 Update, state of civil society: “ towards a National Vision for Zimbabwe”
10 November 2017: Multi-stakeholder Dialogue: “ Promoting transformation and sustainable resilient societies”
The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ), a network of women rights activists and women’s rights organizations joins the world in commemorating International Women’s Day. WCoZ further proclaim the Month of March as Women’s Month for action towards a society where women and girls rights are respected and protected.
Despite various laws, policies, new constitution, regional and international instruments that Zimbabwe committed to advance women’s rights, the country continues to experience deficits in the full implementation of commitments, allocation of adequate resources and political will to enable a conducive socio-economic and political environment for advancement of the agenda for women and girls to enjoy and assert their rights.
