must invest in acculturation to allow them to be able to blend and harmonize their mission with the community. This is not a burden to the Commission but a privilege to learn and understand more the communities that they have to serve. Simple things can endanger a meeting if not attended to. Things like how a Commissioner decides to dress, or what day of the week they choose to hold a meeting or how they master the opening greeting. These can set a meeting ablaze with passion or fire with anger. The difference is very small but the effect is huge. Where resources permit, a special advisor on culture and diversity must be appointed in the Commission to assist in this aspect. 2.12 Paying Attention to Diversity and Inclusion The NPRC should be truly national in character but also very domestic to all communities. This must include paying attention to all groups and individuals. Many a times individuals are lost in groups and groups are lost in the nation. Special attention must be paid to ensure that this loss does not happen. The NPRC’s programme design must ensure that previously marginalized groups are part of the process. Minority groups leaving outside the big cities are sometimes forgotten. When the Parliament held public hearings for the NPRC Bill in Victoria Falls, violence almost broke out because the rapporteurs did not understand the language of the community. This meant the committee was not prepared as a result the contributions of this community were not going to be included as no one understood their language. Diversity and inclusion requires special tools, programming and training. It is not a simple thing of the Commission outsourcing its work to a local group. The commission must find a more sustained approach of making marginalized groups part of their programme. These may include language minorities who have not been part of the national conversation on healing and reconciliation. It includes sexual minorities who have suffered gross violations but have been afraid of speaking because of the stigma attached to their orientation. These may include persons with disabilities who have no access to venues for the meetings. The Commission must make provision for their inclusion. This is not just about physical access, but also the ability to participate in the whole process for those who have disabilities impacting hearing, vision, speech and expression. The venues for meetings/ hearing will need not only be accessible but cater for a range of disabilities. Hence the need for 8 THE CODE OF INCLUSION

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