Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Strategic Plan 2015-2020 10.29 BUILDING PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE The Commission recognizes the critical importance of establishing a strong foundation of integrity, upon which stakeholders can develop confidence and trust in the ability of the ZHRC to carry out its Constitutional mandate. Public perception of the ZHRC will be a direct function of how courageous the Commission is in defending its independence and effectiveness in resolving cases. 10.29.1 Responsiveness of the ZHRC - In the process of building public trust and confidence in the effectiveness of the ZHRC as the defender of human rights, the Commission will structure its operations and develop internal systems and policies that enable it to be highly responsive in reaction to cases of human rights violations and maladministration. An efficient system for complaints and case handling will be developed to enable the ZHRC to respond to human rights violations regardless of the nature or geographical location of the alleged violation. The ZHRC will remain on high alert to provide leadership through its swift response and publication of recommendations in respect of human rights and maladministration cases. (Action Plan Ref: Output 7A, 7B) 10.29.2 Visibility of the ZHRC - The Commission recognizes that the visibility of the ZHRC is intricately linked to the level of public awareness, accessibility and ultimately its effectiveness in the promotion of human rights. The ZHRC will therefore enhance its visibility by implementing an expansion program that will see the Commission establish branches and representative offices countrywide. The ZHRC will also publish regular editorials in the national press and reports in relevant electronic and social media. The ZHRC will also increase its social media visibility, as well as promote access through its website. The Commission will also deploy teams comprising human rights educators, investigators, and public relations officers to all parts of the country, as part of a sustained campaign to promote the increased visibility of the institution. (Action Plan Ref: Outputs 14A and 14B) 10.29.3 Accessibility of the ZHRC - The Commission carries a people-focused mandate, and will therefore facilitate easy access at various levels. However, public access to the ZHRC can be limited by distance, physical, technological, financial, and/or language barriers. The ZHRC will put in place appropriate physical and technological infrastructure to improve its accessibility. Apart from operating a decentralized organizational structure, the ZHRC will extend its reach to people in all parts of the country by setting up a toll-free public communication system to allow the public easy access to the Commission at no cost to the complainant. A public email system, website linked mailbox, and active social media presence, will be put in place as part of a comprehensive plan to enhance accessibility of the Commission. Promotion materials will be simplified and translated into all major local languages. People with impaired vision will be issued with promotional materials in braille, while television publications will be translated into sign language in order to reach the deaf. (Action Plan Ref: Outputs 14A, 14B and 7A) 39