By: Peacewell Makhurane, Junior Programme Officer
On 13 May 2025, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for another five years. The cooperation focuses on the advancement of practical application of human rights and the integration of international prison standards in the operations of ZPCS. The partnership was initially established in July 2019 and has since then, through different activities, including staff development, development of reference tools, advisory services and literature support, contributed to an increased integration of international prison standards in the work of ZPCS.
The signing ceremony was held at ZPCS Headquarters in Harare and was officiated by the ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General, Manetswa Christine Manhivi and Mikael Johansson, the RWI Country Director for Zimbabwe.
The renewal of this MoU reflects the good cooperation that has developed between ZPCS and RWI over the past years. It highlights a shared dedication to ensuring that the prisons and correctional system in Zimbabwe align with international Prison Standards. ZPCS and RWI look forward to continue to strengthen their collaboration through continued human rights capacity development programmes for ZPCS management and officers, development of tools and reference materials, literature support to the staff college and policy development as key instruments towards achieving and institutionalising a human rights-based approach to correctional management.
The MoU signing ceremony also served as an opportunity to officially handover of literature related to human rights and administration of criminal justice that was procured for ZPCS by RWI under the current programme funded by Sweden. The literature is expected to be used as reference material for development and implementation of human rights teaching and research at ZPCS, including, at the Prison Staff Training College.
