Respondents in the subsequent evaluations saw the
main added value as raising awareness of legal issues and human rights at community level and enabling people to claim their rights from duty bearers,
particularly in the areas of birth registration, inheritance, wills, children’s rights, general and customary
law. The grassroots and participatory approach to
legal education was hailed by community members
as addressing real socio-cultural and economic issues affecting them and participants said they now
understood they had the right to seek clarification on
the decisions and actions of community leaders. As
a demonstration of their support for legal education,
community members took the initiative to cascade
information to others by organising community gatherings, thereby building the sustainability of the work.
Focus group discussion in Rutandare,
Growth in learning is demonstrated by the following
accounts.
A Headman and Councillor in Marange observed that there had been political polaristion
in their communities before the LRF’s intervention, but after learning about the Declaration of
Rights and other basic human rights people had
come to realise that it was possible to have different political views. This had contributed to more
peaceful coexistence, tolerance and respect of
human rights.
Participants at a good governance outreach session in Mutoko learned that leaders had a duty to
be accountable to those who had elected them
and the villagers refused to contribute money towards the building of a community hall until the
leadership explained what they had done with the
money previously paid towards the same project.
Immediately after an outreach session on
child abuse in Mberengwa the case of a 13-yearold Grade Seven pupil who had been married
with the consent of her parents was brought to
the LRF’s attention. The LRF paralegal took up
the case with the police; if it had not been for
the outreach this may not have been exposed.
10
Legal Resources Foundation Annual Report 2015
Paralegal Nobuhle Majenda conducting
a one day workshop in Ward 11, Inyathi
A Gutu Councillor visited the LRF office during September to advise that villagers from Mawere community where the LRF conducted outreaches on child
rights/abuse were making use of the knowledge
imparted to them. A primary school headmistress
had decided to punish pupils with outstanding fees
by making them stand during lessons and refusing
to allow them to sit their end of term exams. Women from the community had come together and reminded each other of what they had learnt from the
LRF. They approached the Councillor demanding