These trainings for actors in local government are very important as the Government does not have resources to organise such workshops. Participants were very appreciative of the LRF’s work, stating that they previously had little or no knowledge of such important issues. Tests for the rural councils indicated that knowledge levels grew from 40-60% pre-workshop to 80-100% post-workshop. The topic of good governance was dealt with because of the high incidences of corruption within councils, as reported often in the press. Gender was also covered as it was deemed important for leaders to conduct their business in a gender sensitive manner. The impact of the training workshops on the subsequent service delivery will be assessed in the coming year. Research and Advocacy Through this aspect of its work the LRF aims to promote an efficient and fair justice delivery system wherein democratic rights can be exercised. Staff track issues arising through their work and one example that arose during the year was when it was noted that a number of assault cases were coming from the Mbembesi area. A fact-finding mission was carried out with the community leaders and elders in the area, to establish the root causes of such behaviour and how to address it. The benefits of collaboration were utilised, by partnering with Christian Legal Society, the Police and Masakaneni / Ukuthula, an organisation which deals with conflict transformation and peace building. It was noted that while stick fighting was a cultural celebration, it has been abused by the youths in Mbembesi, hence the alarming cases of assault emanating from that area. The LRF lawyer and social worker then embarked on raising awareness in the community and offering counselling. Decentralisation of the High Court The LRF focuses on one major advocacy campaign per year and in 2014 this has been decentralisation of the High Court. The need for such a campaign was premised on the challenges encountered by those living outside Harare and Bulawayo who incur considerable expenses if their matters need to be heard in the High Court. The recommendations in the draft report include interim measures to provide relief to the litigant, such as increasing the frequency of circuit High Courts in other cities and stopgap measures such as increasing the jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court. Socio-Economic Rights - right to clean water A new issue that has been taken up is the right to clean water, which is clearly linked to the right to life. The LRF Mutare Manager is preparing a research paper and the LRF is working with the Centre for Applied Legal Research in looking at the water situation in Chitungwiza, with a view to taking up a constitutional challenge. Citizens’ Participation In July 2014, during the lead-up to the harmonised national elections, the LRF partnered with Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT) and the General and Agricultural Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) in a pilot project on ‘Promoting Marginalised Citizens Participation in Zimbabwe’s Political Processes’. The project aimed to boost the participation of marginalised citizens by educating them on citizenship rights as provided for in the new Constitution, which allows for the restoration of citizenship to people previously categorised as ‘aliens’ and therefore disempowered politically. The LRF’s contribution was in the areas of facilitation and materials development. With increased awareness of their rights to full citizenship these people were encouraged to acquire new documents and register as voters and vote in the coming elections. Documentary A documentary was produced which showcased the work that the organisation was doing under the Access to Justice for Children project. It featured four disadvantaged children who were successfully assisted, and highlighted the challenges that children face in accessing justice and how the project came in to assist them. 26