adminreview mechanism is now complete and awaits final validation.
The document will be presented at the UNHRC conference in Geneva in October this year.
Validation has been set for June 6 to June 10 this year at a workshop in Nyanga.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Justice and Legal Affairs Secretary Mr David Mangota said the Universal Periodic Review was a mechanism of the UNHRC that involved the review of human rights records of all the 192 UN member-states once every four years.
Each country, according to the periodic review passed in March this year, should present a report to the UNHRC and Zimbabwe is expected to submit it in October this year.
Mr Mangota hailed the drafting committee and other relevant stakeholders for timeously coming up with a draft document.
“The committee completed the draft report recently and we forwarded the same to stakeholders for their further comments. I take this opportunity to express, on behalf of the Government, my most sincere gratitude to the drafting committee as well as all stakeholders for their work towards the production of the country’s report under the UPR mechanism,” he said.
Mr Mangota urged all stakeholders to furnish their comments to the committee’s secretariat in time ahead of the validation workshop in June.
That would be the final stage in preparation of the report.
Zimbabwe’s report writing was launched by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa at a workshop held in Nyanga early this year.
The workshop was a resounding success and it sets the tone for the Government’s report writing.
The Ministry then requested relevant stakeholders to submit their input on what they felt was relevant for the production of a well-balanced national report.
Stakeholders responded well and the drafting committee came up with the draft document.
The contents of the documents, Mr Mangota said, would centre on measures the relevant States have taken to protect and promote human rights within their respective jurisdictions.
The Universal Periodic Review Working Group conducts review processes.
Member states are encouraged to prepare the reports which they submit to, as well as, present before the UNHRC through a broad consultation process at the national level with all relevant stakeholders.
Among the stakeholders that are taking part in the report production are all Government ministries and departments that have a component of human rights matters, all UN agencies that operate in Zimbabwe, local and international non-governmental organisations and independent commissions.
Online Reporter