Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Human Rights awareness raising - Human rights awareness must be advanced as mandated by the Constitution, and this includes ensuring an independent, free and impartial media. Coordination - Human rights cut across various interests and entities, Ministries, departments, arms and spheres of government. Interventions, programming and implementation must be well coordinated and streamlined. Implementation of recommendations from rights treaty bodies - Government should speedily implement recommendations from the treaty bodies to which reports are made. Strengthening institutions - Constitutional Commissions and institutions should be strengthened and should be allowed to operate independently. The government must not create parallel institutions that undermine independent commissions. Security sector reform - The police and army must not be partisan and must desist from violating human rights. The independent complaints mechanism demanded in section 210 of the Constitution must be instituted. Accountability and addressing impunity Accountability and responsibility should be advanced, and those caught on the wrong side of the law must face justice. Government must be swift and decisive in responding to human rights abuses. Selective application of the law must be shunned. The criminal law must never be used to settle political scores, and to punish and persecute political opponents. Ÿ Law reforms to enhance economic, social and cultural rights - There is need for law development to ensure that socio-economic rights are meaningful and have practical effect in people’s lives. Ÿ Strengthening independent commissions supporting constitutional democracy and implementing their recommendations Recommendations by constitutional Commissions should be fully implemented by the relevant government arms and departments. Commissions must be adequately resourced and staffed. Ÿ Adequate funding and budgeting - The government should invest more in human dignity and in the advancement of its people. Socio-economic rights should be funded so that rights are progressively realised. Ÿ x STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ZIMBABWE 2018