FLC: ZELA / Advancing respect for human rights in mining communities in Zimbabwe through enhancing capacity of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission The project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to handle complaints of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights violations in mining communities as a way of promoting democracy and human rights. Research 
has shown that human rights commissions in most African countries narrowly focus on civil and political rights at the expense of grave environmental socio-economic and cultural human rights violations that are a daily occurrence in mining communities usual
ly located in remote areas. It is therefore important to raise the profile of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights violations and how they can either undermine or promote democracy and human rights. This would ensure that these rights are on th
e agenda of the ZHRC at an opportune time when it is jump-starting its operations and setting up its complaints handling mechanism. ZELA will use a two-pronged approach in this project. Whilst working with the ZHRC to strengthen its work within the framewo
rk of the Paris Principles and the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights ZELA will also work with mining communities raising their awareness on how mining activities violate human rights and how to document and report viola
tions. This will ensure that there is a balance in terms of giving impetus to demand side aspects of claiming human rights by the right holders and the supply side of protecting human rights and providing remedial actions by the duty bearers. The project w
ill create platforms for constructive dialogue and engagement between mining communities mining companies and ZHRC. Research on human rights related mining impacts will buttress the project as this will ensure that the project is grounded in reality. The b
udget for the 3-year intervention is 250000 Euros. The project locations are Shurugwi and Zvishavane. Direct beneficiaries are the 840 community members who will participate in ZHRC outreach meetings and the 1050 community members who will get a chance to 
report cases of violations of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights to the ZHRC. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to handle complaints of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights violations in mining communities as a way of promoting democracy and human rights. Research 
has shown that human rights commissions in most African countries narrowly focus on civil and political rights at the expense of grave environmental socio-economic and cultural human rights violations that are a daily occurrence in mining communities usual
ly located in remote areas. It is therefore important to raise the profile of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights violations and how they can either undermine or promote democracy and human rights. This would ensure that these rights are on th
e agenda of the ZHRC at an opportune time when it is jump-starting its operations and setting up its complaints handling mechanism.  ZELA will use a two-pronged approach in this project. Whilst working with the ZHRC to strengthen its work within the framew
ork of the Paris Principles and the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights ZELA will also work with mining communities raising their awareness on how mining activities violate human rights and how to document and report viol
ations. This will ensure that there is a balance in terms of giving impetus to demand side aspects of claiming human rights by the right holders and the supply side of protecting human rights and providing remedial actions by the duty bearers. The project 
will create platforms for constructive dialogue and engagement between mining communities mining companies and ZHRC. Research on human rights related mining impacts will buttress the project as this will ensure that the project is grounded in reality. The 
budget for the 3-year intervention is 250000 Euros. The project locations are Shurugwi and Zvishavane. Direct beneficiaries are the 840 community members who will participate in ZHRC outreach meetings and the 1050 community members who will get a chance to
 report cases of violations of environmental socio-economic and cultural rights to the ZHRC.