THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT |ZIMBABWE I 2017 FOREWORD has business played in the violation of human rights in the past and how can that be remedied? We invite business TAKING STOCK OF to a conversation on how to create a OUR HUMAN RIGHTS partnership with the government and JOURNEY civil society for the furtherance of the human rights agenda. We consider By Jestina Mukoko,Chairperson, and propose alternatives to current Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO economic structures and ask how, Forum as a country, we can build humancentric systems. We interrogate our adherence to the principles of This year, 2018, the Zimbabwe transparency and accountability as set Human Rights NGO Forum out in Chapter 17 of the Constitution. commemorates 20 years of We look closely at the business and service to advance human rights social spaces in our public life and ask in Zimbabwe. In marking this – how inclusive and friendly are these milestone we take stock of how spaces for minorities? These include our country is faring in human rights. In that spirit, persons with disabilities – the easy with which it gives me immense pleasure to introduce the 2017 our systems allow them to enjoy the basics of life State of Human Rights Report for Zimbabwe. This like visiting a library or interacting with the court report, the first of its kind since the formation of The system. This report reveals how our society has been Forum, presents the most comprehensive review of insensitive to sexual minorities including the LGBTIQ the human rights situation in Zimbabwe for 2017 communities; persons with albinism, and proposes and identifies a broad range of human rights issues measures on how we can see beyond differences and that require attention. It is a comprehensive audit promote human dignity for all including those who of how far we are as a country from meeting those don’t look like us, who do not see the way we see, human rights goals that we have set ourselves in and who don’t love the way we love. the Constitution and all other statutes that make up our human rights architecture. The report draws But what are human rights if we do not further the on the inaugural Human Rights Policy and Practice pursuit of happiness and prosperity for all? Anchored Reflective Meeting that we convened on 21 March in the best practices as enshrined in section eight of 2018, bringing together members of The Forum to our constitution on national objectives, we evaluate reflect on the journey that we traveled so far and the broad ideals of what makes people prosper as a identify the issues that the human rights community people and what are the policy deficits defeating such worked on in 2017. In reflecting further, the reflective pursuits. In reaching deeper into territories uncharted meeting noted that while some progress was made in before, this report puts transitional justice questions the realization of the rights guaranteed in our bill of of our time under the spotlight, calling a spade a spade rights, a lot still should be done. and proposing remedies that go beyond traditional condemnations. It is my hope that this report will As this report makes clear, our expanded Bill of Rights contribute to an honest introspection for all of us. has set for our society to pursue a very ambitious Beyond just reporting, may the real work begin, that human rights programme with targets. It established of creating a society in which human dignity is sacred a human rights architecture that creates rights and again, and those who violate this sanctity are held obligations for all of us. This report seeks to capture accountable. that inclusive spirit by looking at the obligations for the State and at the possible contribution for the private sector and interventions by non-state actors. While civil and political rights represent the traditional battleground between the State and citizens, in this Scan to watch the Chairperson’s Address at the Human report we cast our eyes beyond these two actors and Rights Policy Reflective invite everyone to play a role in the realization of all Meeting human rights. We look at the discourse of business and human rights and ask the question – what role 9