Protecting, Promoting and Enforcing Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom 4.0 Preface 4.1. Legal and policy framework The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) is the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in Zimbabwe set up by the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013 (Sections 232 and 242) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act [Chapter 10:30], for purposes of promoting, protecting and enforcing human rights. It is a hybrid institution with a dual mandate following assumption of the functions of the now defunct office of the Public Protector. The Commission derives its mandate for its work from section 243 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which provide for the functions as follows; 6 a) to promote awareness of and respect for human rights and freedoms at all levels of society; b) to promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights and freedoms; c) to monitor, assess and ensure observance of human rights and freedoms; d) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate; e) to protect the public against abuse of power and maladministration by the State and public institutions and by officers of those institutions; f) to investigate the conduct of any authority or person, where it is alleged that any of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights has been violated by that authority or person; g) to secure appropriate redress including recommending the prosecution of offenders where human rights or freedoms have been violated; h) to direct the Commissioner- General of Police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights or freedoms and to report to the Commission on the results of any such investigation; Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2015