FOREWORD It is almost five years since NTJWG was established with the mission of creating an inclusive space for the coordination of transitional justice stakeholders, sharing experiences, and building of synergies for comprehensive, accountable, victim-centred and participatory transitional justice processes in Zimbabwe. Over the years, many tools have come out of our work to help in refining the process. In 2014 we released the Minimum Standards for an Effective NPRC which have helped policymakers to make sure that the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is up and running. In 2015 we released the Guiding Principles for Transitional Justice Policy and Practice which have helped in crafting the law to operationalise the NPRC. In 2016, we released An Analysis of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill which critiqued the Bill to ensure that it aligns to the expectations of the people of Zimbabwe. In 2017, we drafted Proposed Amendments to the Bill to put into effect the views of stakeholders, giving the current NPRC Act the most comprehensive and gender sensitive provisions when compared to other laws in the country and in the world. We have carefully observed this process and compiled some lessons. In line with our mission, we want this process to be participatory. We want the NPRC to have maximum impact. It is in that spirit that we are releasing what we call ‘The Code of Inclusion: Guiding Principles on Public Consultation and Participation in Transitional Justice Processes in Zimbabwe’. We have investigated our long history of failed commissions and we believe there are some lessons here. We have analysed public outreach missions by many of our stakeholders and indeed there are many lessons there. We have also looked at how commissions in other countries worked, and true, there are many lessons there. We have also gone through the guidelines of the UN and there are so many lessons. We have spoken to our stakeholders who themselves have a wealth of experience in carrying out public outreaches. On 7 March 2018, we convened the Whats Next Conference where these principles were presented to 56 delegates from 36 organisations at the frontline of work with victims. Comments and feedback were received and incorporated into this Code. The views and experiences of Zimbabwe’s most involved trauma healers, iii THE CODE OF INCLUSION