Executive Summary
This report is a follow-up to the Taking Transitional Justice to the People outreach project, which
commenced in 2009, during which the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum)
went to local communities across the country to introduce the discussion on transitional justice.
In this survey, the Forum conducted research between February and March 2011 to capture the
recommendations and perceptions of individual Zimbabweans on transitional justice. This report
highlights the most relevant recommendations and perceptions, and summarizes the responses
of 3 189 individuals to 23 questions administered from a previously designed questionnaire.
Through a series of tables as well as summary notes, a picture of the views, attitudes, perceptions
and recommendations of Zimbabweans towards transitional justice is presented.
This report is unique in that it presents the findings of the first national survey on transitional
justice in Zimbabwe, and it adds to the short list of consultative-based positions on transitional
justice in the country. One of the main purposes of the report is to inform policy on how to deal
with past gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe, thereby assisting in steering the country
towards peace and political tolerance.
Nine sections, which address the various issues captured by the research, make up the core of the
report. These sections are as follows:
1. Understanding of ‘Transitional Justice’ and related aspects
The first section covers questions on people’s knowledge and understanding of the term
‘transitional justice’. Responses to questions about these issues are summarized, and from the
analysis it is clear that, while many Zimbabweans do not have a technical appreciation of the
concept of ‘transitional justice’, they are aware of the core issues that speak to the term.
2. The Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration and its work
This section speaks to the knowledge and perceptions of Zimbabweans about the Organ on
National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration. In this context, 74 per cent of the respondents
stated that they had never heard of it, which indicates that the Organ’s visibility and/or
effectiveness up to this point has been fairly limited.
3. Effect of human rights violations
This section captures responses to questions about how individuals have been affected by
politically motivated violence, either as a victim, perpetrator or witness. It is noteworthy that only
seven individuals of the population sampled identified themselves as perpetrators of political
violence.
Transitional Justice Survey – A Report of the People’s Perceptions and Recommendations
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