The roadshows were a platform for communities to air their concerns relating to human rights
issues affecting them as communities. Some of the issues which were submitted included
amongst others; alleged partisan distribution of food aid in rural communities, the numerous
roadblocks mounted by the police which allegedly promoted corruption and impacted
negatively on freedom of movement, service delivery challenges in hospitals and clinics and
the need for the Commission to decentralise to all provinces. Complaints were also received at
the roadshows. IEC materials were distributed at the road shows. In addition, these outreaches
paved the way for ZHRC to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders premised on the
mutual concern for the promotion and protection of human rights in Zimbabwe.
Fig 16: Part of the crowd that attended the ZHRC roadshows at Tshovani in Chiredzi
In a related event, five outreaches were conducted in the Matobo District between July and
September 2016 in partnership with Habakkuk Trust, a Civil Society Organisation based in
Bulawayo with whom the Commission signed an MOU. The outreaches were similar to those
of the road shows namely to raise awareness of the public on human rights, inform target
communities of the mandate and work of ZHRC as a National Human Rights Institution
(NHRI), raise visibility of the ZHRC and gather information on human rights issues affecting the
communities in Matobo.
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Protecting, Promoting and Enforcing Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
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