Engaging The Diaspora Conference:
Cluster Report Back
Human Rights & Governance
By
David Mandiyanike
Outline
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Constitution making
Strengthening institutions
Peace and reconciliation
Elections
Women in the Diaspora
Significant Findings & Issues
Discussed
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NEW CONSTITUTION
Opportunities exist for diaspora to participate in
the constitution making process (17 thematic
areas and drafting)
Challenges of COPAC process being politically
driven
GPA provided for a constitution before elections
Constitution making now clouded by elections
talk
• DFZ to use all available means ie COPAC or via
the respective political parties or civil society
with the list of experts
• Lack of political will to achieve Gender parity
• (all-stakeholder conference resolution on
50/50)
STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS – Parliament,
Commissions - ZEC, Anti-corruption, Human Rights, Media and Civil
Society
• Identify people who have the expertise and
interest
• Of concern, no legislative framework to
govern the operations of the Human Rights
commission
• Undermining of governance institutions by
referring all key decisions to GPA principals
• Knowledge management/institutional
memory lacking.
Peace and Reconciliation
• The Diaspora can and should contribute to long term peace
and reconciliation in Zimbabwe including through conversation
on social and cultural diversity, political tolerance and national
unity-through the media and public discourses, cultural days,
and fora to address issues of national interest.
• The Diaspora should strengthen and enhance the capacity of
the Organ of National Healing to play a more robust role in
early warning through facilitating technical exchange with
other comparable experiences and best practices
• Diaspora formations should share relevant and credible
information on issues affecting Zimbabweans on their welfare,
peace and security such as on migration (potential
deportations) and xenophobia through online platforms
(facebook, blogs, websites etc), media, churches and Diaspora
networks.
Peace and Reconciliation contd
• The Diaspora should keep the momentum alive on
the issue of dual citizenship and exercise of the right
to vote through sustained campaigns and
constructive engagement (for instance with
parliamentary portfolio committees, drafters of the
Constitution, and all actors across the political
divide) based on neutral and objective language on a
constitutional guarantee of dual citizenship.
• DFZ should make a conscious effort to ensure
inclusivity and cultivate strategic partnerships and
synergies with civil society actors in Zim as well as
sub- regional and regional civil society formations.
WOMEN IN THE DIASPORA
• Little is known about specific situation of
women in the Diaspora and this needs to be
specifically addressed.
• Women in the diaspora
• The DFZ will have a specific focus on women
in its programming and work.
Recommendations
CONSTITUTION
• DFZ to compile a database of all experts highlighting
the areas of specialisation and interest.
• DFZ to hold advocacy workshops highlighting issues of
dual/multiple citizenship
STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS
• DFZ to approach the Parliament of Zimbabwe,
oversight bodies and CSO to ascertain what type of
assistance they would need to engage in robust
activities
• Assist MPs with expertise and other infrastructure eg
pvt members’ bills, budget tracking etc
• DFZ facilitate the knowledge production eg. policy
briefs, policy dialogues
• STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS recom conts
• Lobby for the establishment of an
international liaison office in Parliament to
follow up on Zimbabwe’s international legal
obligations
• DFZ to proactively engage the state at both
political and technical level
Peace and Reconciliation
Recommendations
• Facilitate and/or commission a scoping study of the
issues, existing initiatives and institutions working
on peace and reconciliation in Zim and diaspora
that clearly identifies specific and practical ways of
the role of the Diaspora in fostering national healing
and reconciliation in Zim
• Facilitate development of an early warning
mechanism for Zimbabwe through expert capacity
enhancing such as technical exchange and share of
best practices with comparable systems
Peace and Reconciliation
Recommendations
• Undertake a scoping scan or collate and share
with relevant policy makers the existing skills
database among the Diaspora
• Ensure inclusivity and cultivate strategic
partnerships and synergies with civil society
actors in Zimbabwe as well as sub- regional
and regional civil society formations
ELECTIONS
• Collate and analyse best practices on the issue
of dual citizenship and exercise of voting rights
of all Zimbabweans
• Lobby for and take part in early deployment of
observers and election monitors with SADC,
AU, the UN and international actors
• Outline and engage all stakeholders on
minimum and basic conditions for conducting
genuine and credible free and fair elections
Recommendations – Women in the
Diaspora
1. A dedicated Women’s Desk within DFZ
2. Research:
• Issues of women in the Diaspora
• Initiatives by Women’s organisations &
government in the Diaspora and Zimbabwe
3. The Diaspora to participate in informing policy
& providing institutional support & capacity
enhancement to policy makers – to prioritise
women in the Diaspora
Priority Areas
Summary of Programmes
Activities
Actors/Partners
Timelines
Outputs
Monitoring
New
Constitution
•Identify experts to
partake in the
thematic areas
•Compile database
•Offer list of
experts to help in
drafting to COPAC,
political parties &
CSO
•Advocacy on role
of diaspora in Zim
DFZ, ZDDI, GFZ,
COPAC,
PARLIAMENT
Within the next 4
mths
Database
Database
availability,
Strengthening
Institutions
and security
sector
governance
•Advocacy
•DFZ to liase with
indie commission
on SWOT
•DFZ to approach
the Parliament of
Zim, political
parties in Parlia,
assistance with pvt
members bill
DFZ, COPAC,
Diaspora groups
Within the next 12
months
Training sessions,
mentoring,
Summary of Programmes contd
Priority Areas
Activities
Actors/Partners
Timelines
Outputs
Monitoring
Women in the
Diaspora
•Set up a Women’s
Desk/ Programme
within DFZ
(including fund
raising)
•DFZ (Women in the
Diaspora Desk)
•Within next 3
months
•A women’s desk
exists
•Other Diaspora
groups
•Within next 3
months
• A clear framework
on engaging women
in the Diaspora
•Establish/
commission research
projects on issues
facing women in the
Diaspora & initiatives
within and outside the
country on women’s
issues
•Women’s
organisations in the
Diaspora
•Documentation of
women in the
Diaspora’s narratives
•Women’s
organisations in
Zimbabwe
•Data that can be
used to inform policy
and advocacy
•Develop data base
on capacities
available within the
Diaspora on women
(and gender issues)
•A research reports
exists
•Ministry of Women
& Social Affairs
•Organ on National
Healing
•SADC Gender Desk
& other regional
organisations
•Within next 6
months
•Database of
expertise in the
Diaspora on women’s
issues
•A database exists
Summary of Programmes
Priority Areas
Activities
Actors/Partners
Timelines
Outputs
Peace and Commission
reconcilia a scoping
tion
study of the
issues,
existing
initiatives
and
institutions
on
Transitional
Justice
DFZ;
Organ of
National
Healing;
Relevant
civil society
actors in
Zimbabwe;
CSVR and
IJR
January
2010
Scoping
study with
specific
recommend
ations on
the role of
the Diaspora
in national
healing and
reconciliatio
n
Facilitate
developmen
t of an early
warning
mechanism
DFZ, organ
of National
healing,
SADC,
WANEP,
March 2011
Innovative
early
warning
system
Monitoring