| |
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
The Zimbabwe People's Charter
People's Convention
February
09, 2008
The Zimbabwe
People's Charter adopted at the Peoples' Convention, Harare, on
the 9th of February 2008
We, the People of
Zimbabwe, After deliberations amongst ourselves and with the full knowledge
of the work done by civic society organizations and social movements;
With an understanding that our struggle for emancipation has been drawn-out
and is in need of a people-driven solution; Hereby declare for all to
know that: -
- Political Environment
In the knowledge that our political environment since colonialism and
after our national independence in 1980 has remained characterised by:
a) A lack of respect for the rule of law; b) Political violence, most
notably that which occurred in the early to late 1980s in the provinces
of Midlands and Matabeleland, and that which occurred in the years from
1997 to present day, where lives were lost as a result of government
actions undertaken with impunity; c) A lack of fundamental rights and
freedoms, including freedom of expression and information, association
and assembly, all characterised by the militarization of arms of the
state and government. The People shall have a political environment
in which: All people in Zimbabwe, including children, are guaranteed
without discrimination the rights to freedom of expression and information,
association and assembly, and all other fundamental rights and freedoms
as provided under international law to which the state has bound itself
voluntarily. All people in Zimbabwe live in a society characterised
by tolerance of divergent views, cultures or religions, honesty, integrity
and common concern for the welfare of all. All people in Zimbabwe are
guaranteed safety and security, and a lawful environment free from human
rights violations and impunity. All national institutions including
the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, state security agencies, electoral,
media and human rights commissions, are independent and impartial and
serve all the people of Zimbabwe without fear or favour. There exists
a free and vibrant media, which places emphasis on freedom of expression
and information and a government, which guarantees independent public
media as well as a vibrant and independent private media. All people
in Zimbabwe live in a society, which is the embodiment of transparency,
with an efficient public service and a belief in a legitimate, people-centred
state. And hereby further declare that never again shall we let lives
be lost, maimed, tortured or traumatised by the dehumanising experiences
of political intolerance, violence and lack of democratic government.
- Elections Fully
believing that all elections in Zimbabwe remain illegitimate and without
merit until undertaken under a new democratic and people-driven constitution,
The People shall have all elections under a new people-driven constitutional
dispensation characterised by: Equal access to the media. One independent,
impartial, accountable and well-resourced electoral management body.
A process of delimitation, which is free from political control, which
is accurate, fair, transparent and undertaken with full public participation.
A continually updated and accurate voters' roll, which is open
and accessible to all. Transparent and neutral location of polling stations,
agreed to through a national consultative process devoid of undue ruling
or opposition party and government influence, which are accessible to
all including those with special needs. Voter education with the full
participation of civic society that is both expansive and well-timed
in order to allow citizens to exercise their democratic right to choose
leaders of their choice to the full. · International, Regional
and Local Observers and Monitors being permitted access to everyone
involved in the electoral process. An Electoral Court, which is independent
and impartial, well-staffed and wellresourced to address all issues
relating to electoral processes, conduct, conflicts and results in a
timely manner.
- Constitutional
Reform Holding in relation to constitutional reform that a new constitution
of Zimbabwe must be produced by a people-driven, participatory process
and must in it guarantee: - a) That the Republic of Zimbabwe shall be
a democracy, with separation of powers, a justiciable Bill of Rights
that recognises civil, political, social, economic, cultural and environmental
rights; b) Devolution of government authority to provinces and to local
government level; c) A multi-party system of democratic government based
on universal suffrage and regular free and fair elections and the right
to recall public officials; d) The right to citizenship for any person
born in Zimbabwe. Birth certificates, national identity documents and
passports shall be easily available for all citizens; e) A credible
and fair election management body and process; f) An independent, impartial
and competent judiciary; g) The protection of labour rights and the
right to informal trade; h) The protection and promotion of the rights
of people living with disabilities; i) Independent and impartial commissions
which deal with gender equality, land, elections, human rights and social
justice; j) An impartial state security apparatus; The People shall
have a constitutional reform process, which is characterised by the
following: - · Comprehensive consultation with the people of
Zimbabwe wherein they are guaranteed freedom of expression and information,
association and assembly. · The collection of the views of the
people and their compilation into a draft constitution that shall be
undertaken by an All-Stakeholders' Commission composed of representatives
of government, parliament, political parties, civil society, labour,
business and the church with a gender and minority balance. ·
A transparent process of the appointment of the All-Stakeholders'
Commission members as well as their terms of reference. · The
holding of a national referendum on any draft constitution.
- National Economy
and Social Welfare Holding in relation to the national economy and social
welfare that because the colonial and post colonial periods resulted
in massive growth in social inequality and marginalisation of women,
youths, peasants, informal traders, workers, the disabled, professionals
and the ordinary people in general, we hereby make it known that our
national economy belongs to the people of Zimbabwe and must serve as
a mechanism through which everyone shall be equally guaranteed the rights
to dignity, economic and social justice which shall be guided by the
following principles: · People-centered economic planning and
budgets at national and local government levels that guarantee social
and economic rights · The obligation on the state, provincial
and local authorities to initiate public programmes to build schools,
hospitals, houses, dams and roads and create jobs. · Equitable
access to and distribution of national resources for the benefit of
all people of Zimbabwe. · A transparent process of ownership
and equitable, open and fair redistribution of land from the few to
the many. · The right of the people of Zimbabwe to refuse repayment
of any odious debt accrued by a dictatorial government. · Protection
of our environment from exploitation and misuse, whether by individuals
or companies. · Social and Economic justice as a fundamental
principle that guides a new people driven constitution and in particular
the specification of the people's social-economic rights in the
Bill of Rights. And in particular, we hold that the national economy
shall ensure: · Free and quality public health care including
free drugs, treatment, care and support for those living with HIV and
AIDS. · A living pension and social security allowances for all
retirees, elderly, disabled, orphans, unemployed and ex-combatants and
ex-detainees. · Decent work, employment and the right to earn
a living. · Affordable, quality and decent public funded transport.
· Food security and the availability of basic commodities at
affordable prices, where necessary, to ensure universal access. ·
Free and quality public education from crèche to college and
university levels. · Decent and affordable public funded housing.
· Fair labour standards including: o A tax-free minimum wage
linked to inflation and the poverty datum line and pay equity for women,
youth and casual workers. o Safe working places and adequate state and
employer funded compensation for injury or death from accidents at work.
o Protection from unfair dismissal. o Measures to ensure gender equity
in the workplace, including equal pay for work of equal worth, full
and paid maternity and paternity leave. · Access to trade within
and without the national borders and removal of all obstacles on the
right of small traders, small scale producers and vendors to trade and
earn a living.
- National Value
System Believing that we must commit ourselves to a national value system
that recognises the humanity of every single individual in our society
which we shall call ubuntu, hunhu, The People shall commit to: - ·
Provide solidarity wherever needed to those that are less privileged
in our society as individuals or in any other capacity. · Equally
respect people of all ages. · Challenging intolerance by learning
and respecting all languages and cultures. · An inclusive national
process of truth, justice, reconciliation and healing. · Recognising
all people involved in the liberation struggle. And that this be done
with an emphasis that ubuntu/hunhu is passed on from one generation
to the next at national and community level.
- Gender Holding
in relation to gender that all human beings are created equal, must
live and be respected equally with equitable access to all resources
that our society offers regardless of their gender, and that gender
equality is the responsibility of women and men equally, we recognise
the role that our mothers and sisters played in the liberation of our
country from colonialism and their subsequent leading role in all struggles
for democracy and social justice. The People state that these fundamental
principles must be observed and upheld at all levels of the Peoples'
Charter, both on paper and in practice, where decisions are made about
the following: - · Our national budget and economy. ·
Our legislative and government processes in order to allow representative
quota systems. · Provision by the state of all health care and
all sanitary requirements of women. · An understanding that women
bear the brunt of any decline in social welfare security, economic and
political systems.
- Youth Believing
that at all given times the youth, both female and male, represent the
present and the future of our country and that all those in positions
of leadership nationally and locally must remain true to the fact that
our country shall be passed on from one generation to the next, The
People state that, in order for each generation to bequeath to the next
a country that remains the epitome of hope, democracy and sustainable
livelihoods, the following principles for the youth must be adhered
to and respected: The youth shall be guaranteed the right to education
at all levels until they acquire their first tertiary qualification.
The youth shall be guaranteed an equal voice in decision-making processes
that not only affect them but the country as a whole in all spheres
of politics, the national economy and social welfare. · The youth
shall be guaranteed access to the right to health. The youth shall not
be subject to political abuse through training regimes that connote
political violence or any semblance of propaganda that will compromise
their right to determine their future as both individuals and as a collective.
The youth have the right to associate and assemble and express themselves
freely of their own prerogative.
Adopted By:
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
