Foreword 10.0 Who are the NPRC Stakeholders? On 22 May 2013, President Robert Mugabe signed into law the new Constitution of Zimbabwe following a long constitutional reform process dating as far back as 1999. One of the key features of this “It will be folly for us as a commission to think that of all Constitution is those Chapter 12, which five do Independent 10 functions, onlyestablishes the 9 of us can it.” Commissioner Lilian Chigwedere, 15 March One 2018 at the Briefing Commissions Supporting Democracy. of NTJWG-NPRC the independent commissions in this Chapter is the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), which is given the duty to The NPRC is not working alone. It will be engaging with other ensure post-conflict justice, healing, and reconciliation. This Government departments, Non-Governmental Organisations Commission represents the effortscommunity of many organisations (NGOs) and the international to do its work.including The NPRC Act allows thegroups, Commission to work with such actors as they may churches, victim non-governmental organisations and enable it to achieve its goals. international organisations that have been clamoring for a commission to help the society come to terms with its violent past. It represents the hopes ofStatutory many victims (and survivors) of past human Constitutional and Bodies rights violations that truth, justice and healing may see the light of The NPRC is expected to work alongside other human rights the day. institutions such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabweor Gender and Zimbabwe Commission. The successes failuresCommission of the NPRC are still to be Media seen. But what is It will also work with the Judiciary including traditional clear is that an important conversation has already started.courts, The prosecutors and the police. It will make its recommendations to success of the NPRC willthe depend on theMinister. general Parliament through responsible It support will also from work all with stakeholders and the cooperation of the government. This Guide to the Parliament, Ministers and the Cabinet. Understanding the NPRC is our contribution to ensuring that the Citizens canits work with theunderstood CSOs directly engaged with reconciliation purpose and supported by all. The NPRC is visible, and post-conflict, form social groups to address Guide is simple to use and understand. Written in plainreconciliation language, issues or approach their local members of Parliament to whom the the guide is a valuable resource for civic education, community NPRC addresses its findings. leaders and facilitators, schools, survivors of human rights violence human rights defenders, lawyers, lawmakers and anyone who Civil Society wants to understand the NPRC and its work in Zimbabwe. We hope you will find this guide useful. The NPRC works with the many non-state actors. The role of civil society is to remain independent from the NPRC, while assisting it Muchadehama, Aleccontacts (Mr.) with information, and expertise. Civil society organisations NTJWG Chairperson have been monitoring the NPRC’s activities and provide honest feedback Harare, 2017 to all relevant actors. The role of CSOs includes pushing the NPRC to respond appropriately to the needs of survivors and 43 5