The Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Zimbabwe, recently entered a collaboration with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the EU on access to national documents. Access to national documents is a fundamental human right and key to the realisation other rights. An example of such a document is a birth certificate. People encounter various difficulties in accessing national documentation. This affects their lives in many ways.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission undertook and has been driving a National Inquiry with the aim of investigating and finding sustainable solutions to this lack of documentation in Zimbabwe.
Today, we officially kick-started the project “Support to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission”, funded by the EU, with the inaugural workshop on the development of National Inquiry Follow-up and Communication Strategy.
The occasion was officially opened by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission in cooperation with RWI. The Civil Registry Department and the Department of Social Development also participated.
The EU Delegation in Zimbabwe – through its Head of Cooperation, Franck Porte – had the opportunity to address the workshop. Franck Porte underlined the importance of access to national documents as a fundamental human right which anchors the realisation of all other human rights. Frank Porte also spoke about the general EU support to Zimbabwe since 2011.
The RWI Programme Zimbabwe Director, Mikael Johansson highlighted the importance of the current RWI-ZHRC-EU cooperation in strengthening the capacity of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission its role as guarantor of human rights protection and promotion in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) shared their appreciation of the strategic partnership it continues to enjoy with the RWI as well as the generous support from the EU. The support enables the commission to work effectively and efficiently in discharging its mandate in promoting and protecting human rights in Zimbabwe.
The Civil Registry Department emphasised the importance of awareness raising and resources as key enablers to access to national documentation.
The four day workshop aims to take stock on progress on implementation of National Inquiry – NI – recommendations on Access to Documentation, including development strategies for acceleration of these recommendations as foundations towards the realisation of other human rights.