…as the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Report approaches
Thabiso Nxumalo
As the third cycle of the United Nations’ Human Rights assessment of Zimbabwe’s human rights situation set for January 26, 2021 approaches, civic society groups have bemoaned the shrinking civic space in the country.
In a letter submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council by civic groups led by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO), Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) and Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ), civic groups claimed that government is shrinking their space by introducing bills that seek to undermine their human rights works.
“Civic space continues to shrink at an alarming rate, proposed new laws such as amendments to the PVO Act and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Criminal Code), and the “Patriotic Bill”, will undermine the work of human rights defenders and NGOs, especially those working on governance issues,” reads part of the letter.
Civic groups wrote that the government of Zimbabwe is interfering with genuine charitable work in a bid to control and tighten grip on them and thus recommend that the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act be amended in a way that empowers the regulator to be independent.
“Further, the latest proposed legislation including amendments to the PVO Act/ Criminal Law code and a law on patriotism are major issues of concern, the government of Zimbabwe desires to amend the PVO Act to tighten the regulation framework under the pretext of implementing recommendation 8 of the Financial Action Task Force, yet the recommendation acknowledges the need for governments to desist from adopting disproportionate measures thus interfering with genuine charitable work.
“We recommend that, the government of Zimbabwe amends the PVO Act to empower the regulator to be independent, effective and representative of the PVOs operating in the country and should abandon as well as discourage the enactment of a law on patriotism as existing laws are adequate to preserve the integrity of the state and promote its foreign and international image,” added the letter.
The United Nations Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights is done by the United Nations Human Rights Council every five years to assess human rights obligations and commitments of member states.
Zimbabwe was last assessed in 2016 and both government and civic society organizations submit their observations on human rights to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
This assessment comes just three months after United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Alena Douhan visited the country to get a first-hand assessment on the impact of sanctions on human rights.
