allowed to participate in the national processes regarding reconciliation. It has created a window through which other stakeholders can participate. 12. Taking Transitional Justice to the People In January 2009, the Forum together with its member and partner organizations launched the Taking Transitional Justice to the People programme aimed at taking the transitional justice agenda to the victims of past violations and to establish the people’s understanding of and commitment to the concept. The programme aimed at promoting discussion among ordinary Zimbabweans on transitional justice options available to them and gathering their views on the mechanisms they would recommend. The programme took note of the several resolutions by civil society organizations on the need to maintain a victim-centred approach to any transitional justice process in Zimbabwe. Using the information on violence collected since 1998, the Forum was able to identify 84 constituencies worst affected by political violence. In the end, the Forum conducted consultative meetings in 51 constituencies.* The first report of the findings was produced in June 2009 covering 14 constituencies. The current report is the second volume of the people’s recommendations collected during the outreaches and covers the remaining 37 constituencies. On 10 December 2009, the Forum launched A People’s Guide to Transitional Justice, a simple and easy to understand booklet that helps communities discuss the concept and mechanisms of transitional justice. In looking back into history, the Forum is convinced that violence has repeatedly visited Zimbabwe in the past primarily because the voices of the victims were ignored. The outreach teams have sat in villages with victims, listened and documented their stories. Even though some of these atrocities happened decades ago, when one listens to the stories of the victims it is clear that the past needs to be addressed. Although discussion about past and present violations is limited, communities and families continue to share their pain and suffering. As long as the stories of the victims are not heard, no genuine healing can take place. The Taking Transitional Justice to the People programme has therefore put the survivors of political violence at the forefront of any discussions, so that in the end, whatever recommendations are made, they must be shaped by the survivors themselves. * 2 357 participants attended all the 51 workshops throughout the country. 1 010 were women; 1 347 were men. Taking Transitional Justice to the People – Outreach Report 13