ZHRC under global spotlight

Source: ZHRC under global spotlight -Newsday Zimbabwe

Elasto Mugwadi

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has come under scrutiny from global human rights institutions after it received A-Status rating at a time government is being accused of gross human rights violations.

ZHRC commissioner Elasto Mugwadi made the disclosure last week during the unveiling of the commission’s new Bulawayo office.

A-Status is the top rating that can be given to a human rights commission and it also entails that the commission complies with Paris Principles.

“The ZHRC commends the government for this immense support. ZHRC’s A-Status is currently being assessed by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI),” Mugwadi said.

“One of the recommendations made to the ZHRC when it was last assessed by GANHRI in 2016 was that it should decentralise its services to all provinces to ensure services are accessible and improve the culture and terrain of human rights in Zimbabwe.”

Bulawayo Metropolitan Affairs and Devolution minister Judith Ncube said arms of government had the mandate to protect human rights.

“If there are locals that can be employed here, let it be so,’’ she said.