Table of Contents
ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
1.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................................................... 10
1.1
CONSTITUTION OF ZIMBABWE, 2013 ............................................................................................................................ 10
1.2
ELECTORAL ACT (INCLUDING AMENDMENT 6/ 2018) (CHAPTER 2:13) ............................................................................... 10
1.3
SADC PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS, 2014 ................................................................. 10
1.4
THE CONSTITUTIVE ACT OF THE AFRICAN UNION (AU) (2002) (THE CONSTITUTIVE ACT) ....................................................... 10
1.5 THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS (ACHPR), 1987 AND THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON DEMOCRACY,
ELECTIONS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE (ACDEG) 2007 .............................................................................................................. 10
1.6
AFRICAN UNION DECLARATION ON PRINCIPLES GOVERNING DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN AFRICA (2002) ................................... 11
1.7
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR) (1948)......................................................................................... 11
1.8
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (ICCPR) 1966........................................................................ 11
1.9
CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW), 1979............................ 12
1.10
CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (CRPD), 2006.................................................................. 12
2.
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................. 13
3.
PRE-ELECTION PHASE ......................................................................................................................................... 18
3.1
LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 18
3.2
BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION................................................................................................................................. 19
3.3
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTATION ...................................................................................................................................... 20
3.4
INTIMIDATION AND THREATS TO SECRECY OF THE BALLOT AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS LINKED TO BVR .................... 21
3.5
VOTER EDUCATION AND CIVIC EDUCATION ..................................................................................................................... 22
3.6
NOMINATION COURT PROCESS .................................................................................................................................... 23
3.7
MEDIA .................................................................................................................................................................... 24
3.8
HATE SPEECH............................................................................................................................................................ 26
3.9
INTIMIDATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 27
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