Davidson and Purohit: The Zimbabwean Human Rights Crisis: A Collaborative Approach to International Advocacy YALE HUMAN RIGHTS & DEVELOPMENT L.J. [Vol. 7 met in Johannesburg to discuss torture and political violence in Zimbabwe, and to focus on questions of accountability and impunity. However, it should also be noted that keeping momentum going after a meeting, such as the consultation, can be difficult and requires sustained effort. Particularly where different groups are drawn from broad sectors of civil society and from a range of countries, it is hard to sustain attention on an issue. Many of the non-Zimbabwean groups that attended the consultation are already overstretched dealing with issues in their own countries that form their primary mandates. There is therefore a problem of capacity and resources for such external groups to engage in ongoing advocacy. Thus, it falls to the conveners of a meeting such as the consultation to act as an ongoing resource and instigator of regional initiatives. This is not ideal where the convenor is a western-based international NGO, and it would be preferable to ensure that adequately resourced regional networks are in place that are in a position to take on this role. VII. CONCLUSION In cases of apparently intractable crisis, it is often difficult to measure the effectiveness of any particular advocacy approach or strategy. Where the signs of positive change are faint and shifting, it becomes tempting to despair of human rights as a concept and a tool wielding any real power. However, history has shown that the language of rights and the legal mechanisms that have been constructed to ensure their protection can be used effectively by those suffering under a repressive regime. For this to happen, the voices of such people need to be heard both at home and abroad. Civil society actors have become a powerful force in many countries, providing an alternative voice for the people and challenging their governments and state institutions. Such actors become stronger as they learn from one another and from their counterparts in other countries and regions. Recognizing the challenge presented by strong civil society groups, undemocratic and abusive governments seek to destroy or diminish them and to prevent their interaction with the outside world. In those privileged countries where civil society organizations can operate free of such restrictions, and where there are more readily available resources for their work, it is incumbent upon such organizations to support and assist their colleagues elsewhere. Taking on an organizational and facilitative role for regional meetings is one way in which support and assistance can be useful. With regard to Zimbabwe, the need for authentic partnerships between international and local groups is particularly pressing given the dynamics of that situation and the attempts of the government to frame political debate along racial and neo-colonial lines. The many individuals and organizations within Zimbabwe who are engaged in the difficult struggle for basic rights are under constant threat and should be listened to closely Published by Yale Law School Legal Scholarship Repository, 2004 19