HEAL ZIMBABWE - BASELINE STUDY REPORT There is need for the truth to be told about how social, economic and political violence has silenced women’s voices …… the Zimbabwean history narrative is very masculine even in education, history is a subject where the Rozvi or Mutapa women were not visible, but in Chigodora the wife of the chief is an advisor and mbuyas and aunties sometimes carry spiritual roles. Why are these people invisible at the national level. Society has left women very bitter.29 In addition to the above quote, the Human Rights NGO Forum observed that “in 2001, there were 75 women whose rights were violated in Zimbabwe, 151 in 2002; 217 in 2003; 229 in 2004; 154 in 2005 259 in 2006 and 1 323 in 2007.”30 This evidence, therefore, suggests that it is important to appreciate that GBV is a reconciliation which also requires prioritisation. However, its visibility could be overshadowed by political power dynamics, masculine traditional practices and other conflict issues. 5.2 According to an interviewee from Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), the conceptualisation of peace and reconciliation in Zimbabwe should involve “a holistic approach or process capturing all multi-layered conflicts in the Zimbabwean history.”31 It must address past human rights violations by ensuring that “a genuine or honest dialogue about all the scars that have been inflicted on the nation through various violations.”32 Political episodes in Zimbabwe could have an overshadowing effect on the reconciliation process; but 95% of the study respondents noted that the process should be inclusive of social, economic and political sectoral issues. As such, if peace and reconciliation is to be successfully completed it will stimulate community and national development. This means the peace and reconciliation agenda should be framed within a broader policy arena that allows ordinary citizens to participate together with all sectors responsible for peace and security in the country. Rationale for the NPRC in Zimbabwe The NPRC was established by Zimbabwe’s Constitution as part of five Independent Commissions Supporting Democracy identified in Section 232. Section 252 of the Constitution mandates the creation of the NPRC to ensure post conflict justice, healing and reconciliation, among other functions.33 However, there are diverse interpretations on what the NPRC should essentially do operationally since it is not constitutionally defined as a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ but rather a peace and reconciliation institution whose mandate does not oblige it to facilitate truth recovery and restitution. This means the rationality of setting up the NPRC could require a collective understanding and delimitation anchored in the goal of nation building. Therefore, in this study, HZT sought to understand the communities’ views on the reasons for setting up the Commission. The major reasons for setting up the NPRC were undoing cyclic violent conflicts and justice as shown in table 2 below. Personal interview with a representative from the Women’s Coalition (a Women’s Movement) on 27 May 2016. The Human Rights NGO Forum (20 May 2008) The burden of politics on women in Zimbabwe. Available at: http://www.hrforumzim.org/press-releases/the-burden-of-politics-on-women-in-zimbabwe/ 31 Personal interview with a Lecturer of Peace and Governance from Bindura University on the 10th of June 2016 32 Personal interview with a female student from Great Zimbabwe University on the 24th of February 2017 33 Constitution of Zimbabwe, Amendment (No. 20 (2013) Act 29 30 21