Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Interaction meeting with local authorities
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
July 26, 2010

Zimbabwe Human rights Association (ZimRights) held an interaction meeting with local authorities in the Magunje Rural District boardroom, attended by 13 councilors from in and around Karoi.

Eight of them were from ZANU PF while the rest were from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

This meeting was a follow up to one that ZimRights held with farm workers in Karoi during the previous week. In that meeting most farm workers indicated that they were facing hurdles in efforts to have their wages increased in order to meet the standard cost of living. They pointed to the need for more attention on those farmers who are either disabled or under the HIV/AIDS programme.

During the interaction meeting ZimRights gathered that the relationship between the local leaders and the farm workers required more effort from both parties. The councilors cited lack of communication as one of the major challenges that they face in trying to assist farmers to improve their working conditions and standard of living. Most farmers are said to be working in collaboration with organizations that do not communicate their operations to local leaders. As a result, the councilors are not aware of activities that take place in some parts of their communities thereby making it difficult for them to intervene.

Issues related to the differently abled, gender, HIV and AIDS were also discussed, with the councilors pointing to the crucial need to adopt policies that cater for affected individuals. Many workers suffer discrimination based on gender and physical disabilities. However all the councilors agreed that these grounds are no justification for any form of discrimination. Every person has the right to work and earn a living and these should be respected in the same manner as everyone.

Upon gathering this information, ZimRights will be lobbying these local authorities to address the problems noted. All the councilors present agreed that it is their mandate as leaders to ensure that their communities do not suffer human rights violations. As leaders, they are there to fulfill that obligation to the people who voted.

Visit the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) fact sheet

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