ON Africa Human Rights Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) urges the government of Zimbabwe to ratify the Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights so as to give citizens options to access justice and remedies on the continent.
Commemorated on 21 October, Africa Human Rights Day marks the day when in 1986 the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights came into effect and is an opportunity to stimulate a reflection on the implementation and protection of human rights on the African continent.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (also known as the Banjul Charter) is more than a statement of rights but is a central commitment of all the member states of the African Union, which guarantees numerous rights, freedoms and responsibilities of citizens of the continent and is a lodestone for what Africa aspires towards.
The Banjul Charter also lays the basis for an Africa of freedom, justice and prosperity.
On Africa Human Rights Day, ZLHR salutes those African Union member states which have registered some success stories and have granted their citizens democratic political, economic and social rights and freedoms.
Critical civil society organisations, human rights defenders and ordinary citizens have also been instrumental in raising their voices calling for respect of provisions of Constitutions and the Banjul Charter.
Nonetheless, the African continent continues to be a scene of several human and material catastrophes with conflict destabilising some countries where millions of Africans live without bare necessities of life and without hope.
It is saddening to note that all this happens despite African Union member states having ratified the Banjul Charter, which leaves questions lingering over whether the Banjul Charter means much at all.
On Africa Human Rights Day, ZLHR is concerned that the government of Zimbabwe has not ratified the Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as depositing the declaration to allow its citizens to access the African Court directly to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, with a view to enhancing the protection of human rights on the continent including international crimes too.
According to the Coalition for an Effective African Court, to which ZLHR is a member, Zimbabwe is among 22 African Union member states that have not ratified the Protocol that Establishes the African Court.
Moreover, ZLHR is concerned that violations of human and peoples’ rights in Zimbabwe are continuing unabated despite the existence of some provisions in the Constitution which domesticates some of the fundamental rights and freedoms in the Banjul Charter.
Recent incidents of politically motivated violence targeted at opposition political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections are of great concern to ZLHR and should stop forthwith.
On Africa Human Rights Day, ZLHR urges government to;
- Expeditiously implement all outstanding recommendations that have been made by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in its Concluding Observations and Recommendations following submission of previous Zimbabwe government state reports;
- Ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights;
- Domesticate and fully implement the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance;
- Reconsider its plans to adopt the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill as its adoption will severely curtail operations, independence and effectiveness of civil society organisations, in contravention of the Banjul Charter.
- Arrest and prosecute all perpetrators of political violence and uphold political and civil rights without discrimination;
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Kodzero/Amalungelo House
No. 103 Sam Nujoma Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 242 764085/705370/708118
Email: info@zlhr.org.zw
www.zlhr.org.zw
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