Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

ROHR Zimbabwe held a one day Human Rights Defenders workshop in Mashonaland West province in the city of Chinhoyi on Saturday the 29^th of May at Chinhoyi University hotel. It was attended by 40 ROHR delegates drawn from 8 administrative districts of Mashonaland West. The capacity building workshop was made possible through the support and facilitation of human rights law experts from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). The team of ZLHR presenters was made up of Tawanda Zhuwarara, Tineyi Mukewa and Bhamu.

Presentations were made on the transitional justice mechanism agenda, opportunities from the Global Political Agreement on the constitution making and also on building capacity for human rights defence mechanism for human rights activist. Presenters pin pointed the need for the constitution making process to be inclusive ahead of the consultative outreach meetings in order to produce a credible democratic constitution. 

Participants expressed disappointment towards the inaccessibility of COPAC’s services as little was known about their whereabouts when in actual fact they were mandated to provide a critical national service. There was consensus on the denouncement on the existence of the Organ on National Healing and Integration headed by politicians from the three signatories of the GPA. Participant after participant had no kind words towards the organ for its failure to meet their expectations towards concrete initiatives in addressing the plight of victims of political violence, stopping the culture of impunity and bringing perpetrators of violence to book.

The workshop is part of ongoing ROHR Zimbabwe series of provincial leadership development and capacity building trainings around the country’s ten provinces with the next expected to be held in Mashonaland East.

Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe is a grassroots based organization working towards promoting a culture of human rights through community mobilization, capacity building and active responses to human rights challenges in Zimbabwe. As an organization we believe in the incredible power of the community as a structure unit for people to defend, protect and champion their fundamental human rights and responding to issues that affect their daily lives. We work closely with victims of political violence and non victims and remain dedicated to the realization of fundamental freedoms for all Zimbabweans.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom