The OESR programme aimed to ensure that NGOs maximise their contributions to development in Zimbabwe through the establishment of a conducive operating environment. The NANGO membership contends that poor economic and political governance, including weak constitutional and electoral frameworks, repressive laws, human rights violations, policy inconsistencies and polarisation were arguably at the centre of the problems Zimbabwe has faced for the past decade. It was NANGOs conviction that unless these fundamentals were addressed, it was difficult to put Zimbabwe on a real path of recovery. NANGO visions a Zimbabwe where individuals are free to participate in issues that affect them and enjoy all their basic rights.
Through this programme NANGO was positioned to provide leadership, catalysing and capacity enhancing its members for them to respond effectively to the human rights, democracy and governance challenges in the country, especially during the transitional period. Interlinked factors, notably the repressive bills and laws such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) as well as suspicion and mistrust between NGOs and the Government made the CSO operating environment unfriendly. Whilst NGOs acknowledged the indisputable role of regulation through Acts of Parliament, they believe that the most effective and progressive way of regulating the NGO sector, as practised in other parts of the world, is through self-regulation – hence through this programme, NANGO sought to promote and facilitate NGO self-regulation in Zimbabwe.
