19 Jun 2017
It is our sincere hope that we all celebrated the Day of the African Child very well. NANGO joined the like-minded organisations in celebrating the day. As NANGO we believe in the best interest of the child as provided for in the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) article 3 and in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) article 4. NANGO also encourages Government and all other stakeholders in the fight for the fulfilment of the rights of the child to do it in line with the four pillars of children’s rights namely;
The constitution of Zimbabwe provides for the rights of children in section 81. It is important to note that in celebrating these provisions in our constitution as they could be used as tool to claim the rights of a child. This was the case with the banning of girl child marriages recently by the High Court. More efforts need to employed by the like minded stakeholders if respect and enjoyment of human rights were to be achieved. Children’s rights are human rights.
NANGO congratulates Childline Zimbabwe, His Excellency the Junior Mayor of Harare, Nigel Mharapara, and Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children for their statements celebrating the day shared we us.
3 Jul 2017
Many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Zimbabwe today are involved in humanitarian and development work, democracy and governance issues, and the promotion and protection of human rights. The work of CSOs in involved in the promotion and protection of human rights is found in different thematic areas that include civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, the rights of people with disabilities, the media and environment. For instance the National Association of Non Governmental Organisation (NANGO) has ten thematic areas that its member organisations are clustered in to effectively deal with the ills, peculiarities and challenges of human rights in these different thematic areas.
Civil society work in human rights involves, among other interventions and activities;
Target groups for CSOs include among others women, children, the youth, the underprivileged, marginalised and vulnerable, victims of abuse such as sexual abuse and so forth. Some CSOs work with the government at central government level and also at local government level. Normally they work with line ministries, departments or agencies in their respective thematic areas and with local governments structures, including the local political and traditional leadership.
In Zimbabwe, while most organisations produce reports on their activities, usual on an annual basis, which usual is shared with other CSOs, funding partners and other stakeholders, very few organisations produce reports on the human rights situation in the country, be it reports on the overall human rights situation or on the specific thematic areas or issues. The exceptional few include Zimbawe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZHLR) NGO Forum and Childline. Also, not many CSOs systematically monitor and document the implementation of human rights generally and human rights violations in particular (the like of Counselling Services Unity (CSU). Most of the organisations that monitor and document human rights either rely on tools developed by other stakeholders, such as the United Nations (UN).
This article was inserted and flighted by the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO)
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) is the official coordinating umbrella body of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in Zimbabwe. Its aim is to strengthen, represent, and coordinate the work of NGOs in Zimbabwe by creating space dialogue and engagement to enable the fulfilment of members ‘visions and missions. For comments and feedback please reach us through: director.nango@gmail.com.
19 Jun 2017
As the world moves towards the realization of the benefits associated with investing in young people; the youth in Zimbabwe have taken upon themselves through the concept of Leave No Youth Behind that seeks to empower, facilitate participation and equip young people to demand accountability. In line with Section 20 of the Zimbabwe Constitution and the Zimbabwe Youth Policy; young people should participate in political, social, economic and cultural development of our country.
Through the oncoming EU-Africa Summit due to take place in November 2017, in Ivory Coast; NANGO as the coordinating body of CSOs in Zimbabwe and National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO), the youth sector representative and umbrella board for youth in Zimbabwe are spearheading and coordinating actions ahead of the EU-Africa Summit and coordinate the voice and issues of the youth so that their voice is head and the actions to be discussed and implemented are defined by the youth. To broaden the scope of the intervention a national task force that include key representatives of the young people was established, taking into account the young people living with disability, young women, youth from churches, youth in business, students, youth from the Media and rural youth among other. The task force will spearhead the national consultation and develop a road-map for the EU-Africa Summit in order to make sure all the views from the youth are included, consolidated and help to shape our policies at national and continental level.
The theme for the EU-AU Summit is centered on youth in a context of African demographic trends creating major challenges for young people in terms of migration, security and employment. The E.U through their New European Consensus on Development is working with key partners including the youth; which will empower and ensure that the youth are brought to the mainstream of economic and development, this is being done with key focus on supporting youth and improving their future prospects; increase quality employment and entrepreneurship, supporting effective education, vocational training, skills development, and access to digital technologies and services and lastly strengthening youth empowerment and participation in local economies, societies, and decision making.
In line with the Agenda 2063 of the Africa Union, youth inclusion and empowerment is at the center of AU taking youth not only as beneficiaries but also as leaders and key stakeholders in national development processes.
The EU-AU Summit will assist the Zimbabwean youth to lobby for concrete empowerment and inclusion mechanisms that enable young people to utilize, develop their skills and have decent work. A Youth Development strategy that is line with Zimbabwe economic policies will be mooted in order to allow practical ways of dealing with youth challenges such as unemployment, lack of participation in policy, suppression of freedoms among other.
Meanwhile, the youth will be using key social media handles towards the buildup of the conference in Abidjan these include #LeaveNoYouthBehind #RoadToAbidjan.
19 Jun 2017
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known, as global goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The Heads of State and Government, in 2015 unveiled the 17 SDGs building on the successes and lessons of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), while including new areas such as climate, economic, inequality, innovation, sustainable energy consumption, peace and justice among other priorities. The goals are interconnected; often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.
The SDGs came into effect in January 2016 and they will continue to guide global developmental agenda for 15 years up to 2030. The legacy of the MDGs provides nations with valuable lessons and experience to work on the SDGs. But for millions of people around the world the MDGs remains unfinished business. For instance Zimbabwe need to go the last mile on ending hunger, achieving full gender equality, improving health services and getting every child into school beyond primary. The SDGs are therefore an urgent call to shift the world onto a more inclusive sustainable development path.
At regional level, progress on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was not uniform, however there was notable progress in others areas such as improvement in enrolments children in primary schools, particularly girls, increasing the representations of women in parliament, and reducing child and maternal deaths and the proportions of people infected by HIV. Building on this progress, several African countries are taking steps to translate the ambitions articulated in the 2030 agenda into tangible outcomes for their people through integrating the SDGs into their national visions and plans.
SDGs Prioritization in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has since developed the Country Position Paper on SDGs, which articulates the roadmap the country has developed to ensure that the country will effectively implement and coordinate programs around the SDGs. The position paper highlights that the government has decided that it will implement all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as they are all important to the country. The prioritization exercise is said to be guided by the country’s vision, the need to focus on enabling Goals, resource availability and our unfinished business in the MDG’s.
However, in terms of focus and prioritisation, Government has decided that it will focus and prioritise the following ten SDGs:
· Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment;
· Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all;
· Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture;
· Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation;
· Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all;
· Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;
· Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development;
· Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages;
· Goal4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all; and
· Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Achieving the SDGs requires the partnership of governments, private sector, civil society and general citizens alike to make sure that No One Is Left Behind and that whatever benefits that are realised out of this development initiative at global, regional and national levels are enjoyed by everyone. As such the National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO) feels Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has more role to play in complementing the efforts of the government in achieving the SDGs; and also in playing their traditional watchdog role to ensure that the government delivers its developmental obligations and promises to the people. In this regard, NANGO has since developed a framework to enhance the monitoring and programming of members around the SDGs. The role of CSOs is key in ensuring that by 2030 the country will achieve the majority of the SDGs and its ultimate objective.
19 Dec 2016
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa presented a US$4 billion budget on the 8 December 2016 and pledged to cut government expenditure further next year after a US$520 million overrun in 2016. Below are highlights:
1 Nov 2016
The PVF attracts hundreds of spectators at the 2012 NGO Expo during a live perfomance by Artists for Democracy.
This is an edutainment platform used by various NGOs to stimulate public debate on issues in line with the Expo theme. 2012 ‘s theme was coined in relation to the 50th anniversary celebration by NANGO.Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT) held the NGO Expo Road show and Peace concert on the 5th of September 2012. The activity was conducted in two parts whereby the morning session was a roadshow in the Harare CBD mainly targeting bus terminuses such as Copacabana, Market Square, Charge Office and 4th street. This was done using a roadshow advertising truck roving around town playing music and an MC chanting out messages of peace. The selected roadshow bus terminuses are where most people catch their transport and drop off point; this was a mobilization strategy to invite people to the main concert later in the day. The concert then began in the afternoon at 1pm at the Harare gardens main stage, where artists performed preaching messages of peace. Lined artists were Zvido zvevanhu traditional dance group, Dino Mudondo and Sniper.
