ZimRights,ZLHR celebrates International Human Rights Day

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have joined the rest of the world in commemorating the United Nations International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2015.

In a statement the organisations said this year's theme: Our Rights Our Freedoms Always expresses the rights and fundamental freedoms which all human beings have.

"The provision of civil, social and economic rights is an obligation of the State. The Forum and ZLHR remain concerned that there remains inadequate political will by the State to develop its capacity for the realisation of such rights," reads the statement.

"The people of Zimbabwe suffer from interlinked political, economic and social violations that include violations of the right to work, free expression, assembly and association, freedom from arbitrary evictions, the right to education, clean and potable water, access to information and the right to language and culture, among others."

The two organisations said despite the protections in the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe, illegal property demolitions and arbitrary evictions have been carried out throughout the country in most urban areas without the provision of alternative accommodation.

"The right to the security of the person has also been violated - a notable case being the abduction of Itai Dzamara in March 2015. His whereabouts are yet to be ascertained," reads the statement.

 "Citizens continue to experience persistent water shortages that are often exacerbated by unlawful and unprocedural water disconnections to households and public institutions providing essential services such as health. Law enforcement agencies continue to use torture as a means of investigating and obtaining information. There is also reluctance by the Government to respect civil liberties, in particular, fundamental freedoms of association, assembly, and expression as well as  media freedom."

They said according to Section 11 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the State has an obligation to take all practical measures to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms and to promote their full realisation and fulfilment.

"The measures taken thus far by the Zimbabwean Government, and the conduct of several state institutions and actors, highlights a continuing lack of commitment to the realisation of these rights. The slow progress by the Government in realigning laws with the Constitution has added to civic concerns," reads their statement.

"It is with this in mind that the Forum and ZLHR call on the Government to ensure that citizens enjoy the rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed both in the Constitution and in international law and to show more commitment to the speedy alignment of laws with the Constitution. The Government must also address current socio-economic and political challenges facing the country to enable citizens to enjoy their civil, political economic, social and cultural rights and live with dignity."