Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
Encyclopedia
ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM
After the food riots, human rights violations persisted mainly perpetrated by the police and other state ancillaries particularly during the election. The need for litigators to represent victims was still present. The Forum which was then headed by the board of the members deemed it necessary to consolidate the association by having a full time director. In 2002, Ms. Eileen Sawyer was appointed as the first full- time director of the Forum following her previous experience as national director of the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF).
Over the years the organisation has attracted more members and currently has nineteen active member organisations. A transitional justice unit was recently created to account for the current Zimbabwean transitional government. An International Liaison Office has been in existence since 2002 to facilitate the distribution of the reports to the Zimbabwean Diaspora and to inform the international public about the negative human rights environment in Zimbabwe.
Amnesty International (Zimbabwe)
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (Zimbabwe)
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe
Justice for Children Trust
Legal Resources Foundation
Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Nonviolent Action and Strategies for Social Change
Research and Advocacy Unit
Students Solidarity Trust
Transparency International (Zimbabwe)
Women of Zimbabwe Arise
Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Offender
Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Peace Project
Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association
Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust
Summary
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum also known as “The Forum” is a Non Governmental Organisation based in Zimbabwe with an International Liaison Office in London, England. It was founded by nine human rights organisations at the time of the 1998 food riots to give free legal assistance to victims perpetrated by the police and the army. Over the years, it has expanded to a nineteen member strong consolidation of private voluntary organisations which promote for human rights in Zimbabwe. In addition to the Public Interest Unit which makes compensatory claims on behalf of the victims of organised violence and torture, a Research Unit and a Transitional Justice unit were created in order to document and report on cases of human rights violations and to promote the transitional justice process in Zimbabwe following the formation of a Government of National Unity in 2009.History
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum was created in 1998 after the three day food riots caused by an announcement of the price increase of the basic foodstuffs such as mealie meal, cooking oil and rice. The police used violence and torture as a means of crowd control. People were being arrested and charged without being able to exercise their basic legal rights. In response to that situation, nine human rights organisations united to provide legal assistance to the people who were incarcerated, aided people who complained of breaches in human rights and produced a report on the riots.After the food riots, human rights violations persisted mainly perpetrated by the police and other state ancillaries particularly during the election. The need for litigators to represent victims was still present. The Forum which was then headed by the board of the members deemed it necessary to consolidate the association by having a full time director. In 2002, Ms. Eileen Sawyer was appointed as the first full- time director of the Forum following her previous experience as national director of the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF).
Over the years the organisation has attracted more members and currently has nineteen active member organisations. A transitional justice unit was recently created to account for the current Zimbabwean transitional government. An International Liaison Office has been in existence since 2002 to facilitate the distribution of the reports to the Zimbabwean Diaspora and to inform the international public about the negative human rights environment in Zimbabwe.
Programmes
The Research and Documentation Unit publishes special reports on organised violence and torture and human rights violations. The Transitional Justice Unit has published two reports on Zimbabwe’s current transition from an authoritarian order to a democratic one. The Public interest Unit has over 700 active cases before the High Court for compensation and 5 cases before the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe.Members
There are currently nineteen members of the Zimbabwe Human rights NGO forum:Amnesty International (Zimbabwe)
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (Zimbabwe)
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe
Justice for Children Trust
Legal Resources Foundation
Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Nonviolent Action and Strategies for Social Change
Research and Advocacy Unit
Students Solidarity Trust
Transparency International (Zimbabwe)
Women of Zimbabwe Arise
Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Offender
Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Peace Project
Zimbabwe Peace Project
Zimbabwe Peace Project also known as ZPP is a human rights monitoring group in Zimbabwe. It has critical of the Human rights situation in Zimbabwe and its Director Jestina Mukoko and were abducted by secret Police and freed only after Zimbabwe High Court orders. ZPP alleged she had been kidnapped....
Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association
Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust