The Civil Society Report above acknowledges government efforts to accelerate ratification of treaties.88 However, the report noted that key instruments such as Optional Protocols to the Convention on the ICCPR and ICESCR still need to be ratified to facilitate the protection of various civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights. For purposes of this report, it is submitted here that these instruments are key, in that upon ratification Zimbabwe acknowledges the competence of respective treaty-bodies to receive individual complaints alleging violation of any right enshrined in the principal conventions. In other words, individual artists would be able to approach these international mechanisms to seek redress in the event that national remedies are unavailable as a result of restrictive laws. The silence of the literature on freedom of artistic expression (from National Plan of Action to CSOs Report) must also be attributed to ineffective intervention in the UPR process by relevant CSOs and other stakeholders such as artist bodies. The UPR process in Zimbabwe is one example where government has sought to collaborate with other stakeholders in moving the agenda forwards although challenges still remain. Artist bodies could have taken matters into their own hands by ensuring that artistic expression has specific mention and a specific plan to adopt measures against censorship at the time the National Plan of Action was being adopted. Speaking generally on the role of artist bodies in promoting artistic freedom, Chamunorwa Mashoko, Creative and Artistic Director, Harare International Carnival, notes that artist organisations in Zimbabwe to some degree have not yet been very vocal compared to media organisations when it comes to advocating for freedom of artistic expression because of fear of suppression. There is need for artists’ organisations to learn from mainstream media organisations on how to advocate and lobby for freedom of artistic expression. Even though initially not involved, artistic organisations have taken initial steps towards achieving this goal. 88 See page 1 of the Report. 72 | P a g e