CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF PEACE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR ZIMBABWE
International Day of Peace Commemorative Statement
“All peoples have the right to national and international peace and security” – Article 23, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) joins the global community in commemorating the International Day of Peace which was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly and has been observed every year on 21 September since then. This year’s theme, “Cultivating a Culture of Peace,” serves as a vital call to action, encouraging individuals and communities to actively and deliberately promote harmony and understanding, particularly in a context marked by historical human rights violations and political polarisation.
Since its establishment in 1992, ZimRights has been at the forefront of cultivating peace in communities across the country. A central initiative is the Right to Peace Action Zone under which ZimRights implements various programs to empower individuals to recognise and demand their right to peace, fostering a grassroots movement for positive peacebuilding. ZimRights reaffirms its commitment to promoting peace and recalls that the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which is the supreme law of Zimbabwe, obliges the State and every person, including juristic persons, and every institution and agency of government at every level to promote national unity, peace, and stability, as enshrined in Section 10 of the Constitution, which states that ‘The State and every person, including juristic persons, and every institution and agency of government at every level, must promote national unity, peace and stability’.
ZimRights further recalls that the obligation to promote, cultivate, and maintain peace is also provided for in the United Nations Charter, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, African Union Constitutive Act, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Politics, Defense, and Security Cooperation among various other regional and international legal instruments.
As a grassroots movement, ZimRights’ work is enriched by its vibrant engagement with its members in Zimbabwean communities. Leveraging on this, ZimRights annually produces the State of Peace Report which investigates peace dynamics in Zimbabwe through the lenses of the communities. Unfortunately, the findings from the last two editions of the report reveal a fragile state of peace in Zimbabwe. As evidence of the deteriorating peace, Zimbabwe has concerningly been ranked 121st globally and 26th in Africa on the 2024 Global Peace Index, reflecting critically low levels of peace. Despite the absence of violent conflict, several threats to peace persist, largely unaddressed by duty-bearers. Political polarisation, violence, a shrinking civic space, and economic instability pose significant challenges. Other issues include extrajudicial killings, torture, harsh prison conditions, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association, and expression. Furthermore, human rights violations by businesses, particularly in the mining sector, have intensified the crisis which is compounded by inadequate governmental response. Another ZimRights people-centred publication titled ZimRights’ Facing the Fear: Confronting Threats to Personal Security and Peace in Zimbabwe Peace highlights these issues as general insecurities experienced by many Zimbabweans that undermine their ability to live peacefully and exercise their rights and freedoms.
In light of these pressing issues, ZimRights:
- Calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to fulfil its duty to tackle political violence, ensure accountability for human rights violations, uphold fundamental freedoms, and strengthen peacebuilding efforts to promote national unity.
- Encourages civil society organisations to advance grassroots peacebuilding, advocate for human rights, and foster dialogue to resolve conflicts.
- Urges businesses to fulfil their obligation by adopting ethical practices, supporting community development, and avoiding contributions to conflicts or human rights abuses.
- Reminds the media of its responsibility to report accurately on peace and human rights issues, using its platform to support dialogue and raise awareness.
- Encourages the public to engage in local peace initiatives, advocate for human rights, support dialogue, and hold duty bearers accountable.
