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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter
Government is will continuously engage the Human Rights Council to ensure the country fulfils its obligations of promoting and protecting human rights.
Speaking during a high-level segment of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said to demonstrate its commitment to United Nations Human Rights Council processes, Zimbabwe submitted its voluntary Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mid-term Report in October last year.
“The submission of this report demonstrates my Government’s full commitment to the realisation of the rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, in particular the Bill of Rights,” he said.
“My country commits to put more effort in order to remain compliant, with reporting procedures under the core human rights instruments. In that regard, Zimbabwe recently presented the 6th periodic report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women before the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).’’
In November 2019, Minister Ziyambi said Government presented its 11th-15th Combined Report under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as the 1st-4th combined Periodic Report under The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women.
“Zimbabwe extended invitations and successfully hosted the Special Rapporteurs on the Right to Food and on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association,” he said.
“The Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food conducted her mission from 18 to 28 November 2019, following which she shared her report with the Government, which has since responded and eagerly awaits the upcoming interactive dialogue during this ongoing Council Session.”
Minister Ziyambi said Government awaited the corresponding report by the Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, who visited Zimbabwe from September 16 to 27 last year.
“We anticipate that the findings will give the Government further opportunity to introspect and extend avenues for engagement in fulfilment and enjoyment of human rights by the people of Zimbabwe as guaranteed by our Constitution,” he said.
In order to promote and advance social, economic and cultural rights of the people of Zimbabwe, Minister Ziyambi said Government was prioritising enhanced investments in exploration, opening of new mines, beneficiation and value addition of minerals.
He said in the spirit of collective participation and nationhood, Government launched the historic Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) on March 17, 2019.
“This forum has created a home grown vibrant platform through which solutions are proffered to the challenges confronting Zimbabwe as a nation, through peaceful, open and transparent discourse,” said Minister Ziyambi.
“Principals from 17 political parties who participated in the presidential elections during the 2018 Harmonised Elections are represented in this platform.”
The country is in the process of implementing some recommendations from the 2018 harmonised elections observer mission reports, said Minister Ziyambi.
“We are in the process of implementing some of the recommendations from the 2018 Harmonised Elections Observer Missions Reports, including aligning our electoral laws to regional instruments such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance,” he said.
“This is being done through a Political, Elections and Legislative Reform Taskforce.”
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter