45 8.2.1 ZLHR Honours Excelling Lawyers For the first time, the ZLHR Board also awarded a Chairperson’s Special Commendation to Tonderai Bhatasara and Gift Mtisi for their courageous efforts protecting and defending human rights in 2015. 2015 was a year to savour for ZLHR as the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) honoured two of the organisation’s legal practitioners for their outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of human rights in the country. First to be honoured in November was Peggy Tavagadza, the ZLHR project lawyer, who was presented with the LSZ’s prestigious human rights lawyer of the year award. In honouring Tavagadza, the lawyers’ regulatory body said the Mutare based lawyer had demonstrated a desire to work for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. Described as dedicated ZLHR members, Tonderai Bhatasara and Gift Mtisi, put themselves at great personal and professional risk by taking on the representation of villagers settled at Manzou Farm in Mazowe.The ZLHR Board awarded a Chairperson’s Special Commendation to Tonderai Bhatasara and Gift Mtisi for their courageous efforts in 2015.  ZLHR Annual Report 2015 On the same day that ZLHR commemorated International Human Rights Day, five human rights lawyers from three regions bagged the Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award under a new format which broadened selection to three-awards, one for the Eastern Region (Manicaland and Masvingo provinces), Southern Region (Bulawayo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces) and Northern Region (Harare, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East provinces).