ON WORLD Wetlands Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) implores citizens, local authorities, central government and all stakeholders to promote the conservation, restoration, sustainable management, and wise use of wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
World Wetlands Day, marked annually on 2 February, commemorates the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, (the Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971. Since its inception, the day has served to highlight the vital values and benefits of wetlands and to promote their conservation and wise use worldwide.
In 2026, World Wetlands Day is being commemorated under the theme: “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”. The theme recognises wetlands as a cherished ecosystem, critical to human culture and wellbeing, and underscores the intrinsic ecological value and the benefits they bring to present and future generations. Moreover, the theme emphasises the need for collective action to conserve wetlands as critical ecosystems for a sustainable planet.
In Zimbabwe, wetlands have long been conserved through culturally rooted knowledge systems and customary practices passed down through generations. Many communities regarded wetlands as sacred spaces, governed by norms that restricted cultivation, construction and resource extraction. Practices such as seasonal use, controlled grazing, protection of wetland vegetation, and prohibitions against polluting water sources played a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and resilience. These traditions demonstrate that indigenous knowledge remains a valuable and complementary tool in contemporary wetland conservation efforts.
Globally, wetlands provide a wide range of ecological, economic, and socio-cultural benefits. They are among the most productive ecosystems on earth, storing significant amounts of carbon that contribute to climate change mitigation, purifying water and safeguarding freshwater supplies, and buffering communities against droughts and floods. They are intricately linked to culture and civilisation and are the foundation of resilient societies.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands supports governments to safeguard the cultural values of wetlands, the livelihoods they sustain, and the rights of people and local communities to participate meaningfully in their management. Despite these protections, wetlands continue to disappear at an alarming rate globally and domestically, driven by land use change, infrastructure development, agriculture, climate change and pollution.
On its part, ZLHR and its partners have, through strategic litigation continued to advance the protection and restoration of wetlands, recording notable successes. ZLHR recognises, however, that in collaboration with other key stakeholders, further actions and interventions are required to secure these vital ecosystems for future generations. The protection and restoration of wetlands are essential to the realisation of the right to water under section 77 of the Constitution and the right to an environment that is not harmful to one’s health under section 73 of the Constitution.
ZLHR remains concerned that, notwithstanding strong and justiciable environmental and procedural rights under the Constitution, gaps in enforcement and regulatory oversight continue to undermine the effective protection of wetlands in Zimbabwe. Several wetlands across the country, including some among the seven designated Ramsar Sites, face significant threats. In particular, the Monavale Wetland in Harare remains under severe pressure, with potentially far-reaching consequences for its ecological integrity, water purification functions and the city’s water security.
In light of the above, ZLHR calls upon local and central government, the private sector, civil society and citizens to:
- Stop unlawful and illegal developments on wetlands and uphold Zimbabwe’s obligations under the Ramsar Convention;
- Fully domesticate and align the provisions of the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity within Zimbabwe’s municipal law, policies and land-use planning frameworks, including specific protections for Wetlands of International Importance.
- Recognise, protect and integrate indigenous and culturally rooted knowledge into wetland management and restoration, ensuring meaningful participation and leadership of local communities in line with the 2026 World Wetlands Day theme and Ramsar guidance on cultural values.
- Immediately suspend and reverse approvals for housing and property developments on wetlands and protect these areas from incompatible land-use change.
- Strengthen climate change mitigation and adaptation measures to protect communities and ecosystems and to secure vital water resources for present and future generations.
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
www.zlhr.org.zw
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