2. CIVIL SOCIETY WORK ON TRADITIONAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND MECHANISMS IN ZIMBABWE’S COMMUNITIES. ZIMCET and HZT have long been working in diverse Zimbabwean communities that have been affected by politically motivated violence and violence perpetrated by state agents or those acting with their acquiescence. In most of the programs, the two organizations have utilized well established traditional mechanisms to bring communities together, restore livelihoods, and establish peace and reconciliation. The two organizations as with many other civil society organizations in Zimbabwe envisage a situation where traditional justice mechanisms can work alongside other transitional justice mechanisms within the larger justice and reconciliation framework in Zimbabwe. Indeed, traditional justice systems and their accompanying mechanisms have been in existence in Zimbabwe for long periods and they have existed primarily for the purpose of resolving conflicts within and between communities. Some of these traditional institutions and practices have however been dogged by a myriad of challenges such as being undermined by serious and real accusations of politicization, resistance from rising Christian culture and practices, accusations of serious bias against women, unprofessionalism and a failure to embrace internationally recognized standards in judgments. Victims of serious crimes and violations that ZIMCET and HZT have spoken to often mention serious hesitation to bring cases to authorities they do not trust. Women respondents especially in the rural communities mentioned that most traditional justice mechanisms are biased in favor of men. Violations and crimes of a sexual nature against females carry heavy stigma, making such cases difficult if not impossible to bring forward in the present setting of most Zimbabwean traditional justice systems. Normally, the hearing of such cases occurs in the open, often under a tree, with no protection or privacy for victims to come forward. The traditional leaders who comprise the body to hear the cases most 3