Mrs. S. Zembe: Vision for Peace and Reconciliation in Zimbabwe Background Peace-building by its very nature, requires multi-level and long-term investment targeted at building capacities and structures that can help prevent violent conflicts, manage those that erupt, ensure the implementation of peace agreements and address over time, the structural roots of violent conflict. The infrastructure for peace concept acknowledges the need for structural and long term measures founded on capacities and ownership within the country and its communities. The Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) was established as a Department in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) after the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in 2008. Its mandate is to achieve restoration of the dignity of all Zimbabweans regardless of age, gender or creed; to achieve peace, stability, unity and prosperity for individual Zimbabweans, their families, communities, organisations and the country as a whole. According to Article VII of the GPA, ONHRI was established for the “Promotion of Equality, National Healing, Cohesion and Unity”. Article VII (1)(c) clearly states that ONHRI “shall give consideration to the setting up of a mechanism to properly advise on what measures might be necessary and practicable to achieve national healing, cohesion and unity in respect of pre and post-independence political conflicts” and this forms the basis for developing an infrastructure for peace in Zimbabwe. In working towards the establishment of the infrastructure for peace, ONHRI conducted consultations with a number of stakeholders who included Traditional Leaders, Faith Based Organisations, Civil Society Organisations, employers, women, the youth, and political parties in the Inclusive Government among others. It was important to adopt a participatory, grass root based and inclusive approach to respond to the specific needs of the people of Zimbabwe in order to get their views on the type of an infrastructure for peace they would want established as peace is an all inclusive facet of the people's day to day lives and cannot be dealt with by a few people. ONHRI consultations with the Churches and Civil Society in particular culminated in the production of a joint report between ONHRI and civil society. The overall consultations also culminated in the production of the draft Zimbabwe National Policy Framework for Peace and Truth Commissions: the Best Practices 33