representative failed to attend.9 The officials’ lack of a sufficient long-term presence in Zimbabwe further undermines their GPA monitoring work. Progress Made The unity government has made some progress in implementing those parts of the GPA that do not address political violence or create conditions for credible elections. For instance, the unity government established four new national commissions—the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the reconstituted Zimbabwe Media Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. The ZHRC commissioners appointed in April 2010 only started work on October 12, 2012, when President Mugabe signed the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act into law.10 The ZHRC has the following functions and powers: (a) to promote awareness of and respect for human rights and freedoms at all levels of society; (b) to promote the development of human rights and freedoms; (c) to monitor and assess the observance of human rights in Zimbabwe; (d) to recommend to parliament effective measures to promote human rights and freedoms; (e) to investigate the conduct of any authority or person, where it is alleged that any of the rights in the constitution’s declaration of rights has been violated by that authority or person;11 and (f) subpoena powers to compel any authority or person to appear before the commission and to produce any document or record relevant to any investigation by the commission.12 9 “Bill Watch: Electoral Amendment Act gazette, 45/2012,” Veritas, October 3, 2012. See also, “Jomic meeting fails to take place,” The Standard, October 1, 2012, http://www.thestandard.co.zw/2012/10/01/jomic-meeting-fails-to-take-place/ (accessed October 1, 2012). 10 “Bill Watch: Human Rights Commission Act gazette, 47/2012,” Veritas, October 13, 2012. 11 Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act, 2/2012, October 12, 2012, art. 4. 12 Ibid., art. 12. RACE AGAINST TIME 10