Strategic Influencing and Advocacy  

Zimbabwe Institute works with Civil Society Organizations as secretariat to the CSO Coordinating Commitee, facilitating advocacy work around proposed Bills in Parliament. Furthermore, the organization is involved in collaborative work with the Heads of Civil Society Coalitions and Networks, (working through the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum), as well as with over sixty, (60), organizations who constitute an organic CSO Consortium that cooperates on advocacy efforts for a CSO enabling environment. The work of engaging CSOs through participatory advocacy initiatives is central to supporting the growth of a civic society with a unified agenda of building a democratic society. Additionally, the strategic advocacy seeks to influence the legislative agenda through facilitating engagement between CSOs and the State/Government Ministries and Parliamentary Portfolio Commitees amongst others. To date, CSOs have drafted position papers which have been submitted to government as a response to the following Bills: Constitutional Amendment (No. 2) Bill, the Private Voluntary Organization, (PVO) Bill, and the Criminal Law Codification Reform Bill. In addition to work on advocacy, ZI also conducts capacity building, by way of strengthening internal systems of CSOs so that they remain relevant and are better able to deliver on their mandate.  

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CSO advocacy on The Private Voluntary Amendment Bill  

​Since the introduction of the Private Voluntary Amendment Bill in November 2021, ZI, consistently  coordinated CSOs in engagements with the state through relevant government ministries including the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Investment Promotion, the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as well as the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing over a period of 4 years. Soon after the introduction of the PVO Bill, ZI's coordination of CSOs resulted in the drafting of a CSO position paper on the PVO bill which was translated into local languages for distribution to members of the public. Thereafter, CSO successfully engaged Parliament and attended a meeting of Parliamentarians to which the public were also invited to provide their input.  This engagement was followed by a coordination of various meetings through the Heads of Civil Society Coalitions and Networks which included the following.

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• Submission of a CSO position paper, (10 March 2023), on the impact of the PVO Amendments Bill H.B 10 of 2021 to the Structured Dialogue on Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution following engagement with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion. Additionally, CSOs made contributions to the three policy reform matrices on Governance, Economic and Land Tenure.

• CSO Engagement with H.E. President Mnangagwa on 17 March 2023 at which the CSOs presented their position paper on the PVO Bill following which assent on the Bill was withheld. https://www.newsday.co.zw/newsday/index.php/local-news/article/200009072/csos-meet-ed-over-pvos-bill 

• An engagement with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, following gazetting of the revised PVO Amendment Bill H.B. 2/2024, which resulted in the CSOs drafting and submission of  amendments that can be directly incorporated into the text of the Bill to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee.

• Meeting with the Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi at which CSOs presented the PVO Bill amendments to the Minister who made commitments to improve the text of the Bill. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Structured Dialogue for Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution and was attended by senior government officials from the Ministries of Finance, Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, Local Government and UNDP representatives amongst others. https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/justice-minister-csos-meet-over-pvo-amendment-bill/

• CSOs leaders meeting with the Minister of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare Hon. July Moyo.

• Release of CSOs joint Press Statement expressing concern over the fast tracking of the PVO Amendment Bill H.B 2 2024 without fully reflecting on the concerns and recommendations made by CSOs. https://www.pressreader.com/zimbabwe/newsday-zimbabwe/20241106/281552296371531?srsltid=AfmBOooT6_DyWzR_O9t-qDwkkGWQffRVIViCeiSsY5G5QXWEJQ9uJPr2

• Engagement with the principals on the Structured Dialogue for Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution, which resulted in some of the CSO concerns  being expressed in Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina’s speech, President and Chairman of African Development Group, on 25 November 2024. https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/speeches/speech-delivered-dr-akinwumi-adesina-president-and-chairman-african-development-bank-group-high-level-structured-dialogue-platform-meeting-arrears-clearance-and-debt-resolution-zimbabwe-78924

• ​CSO leaders meeting with the Attorney General to provide an update on the CSOs position as a precursor to a meeting with the President in 2025 before signing of the bill.  

 

Following Presidential assent on the PVO Amendment Bill No 1. of 2025, on 11 April 2025, ZI, through the CSO Coordinating Committee published a joint press statement on 16 April 2025, https://www.newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local-news/article/200041106/president-emmerson-mnangagwa-under-fire-over-draconian-law expressing great reservation on the enactment of the Private Voluntary Organization, (PVO), Amendment Act and calling on the government of Zimbabwe to:

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1. Repeal the PVO Amendment Act to safeguard civic space, constitutionalism and restore public trust.

2. Respect Zimbabwe’s regional and international human rights obligations, particularly under the ICCPR, UDHR, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

3. Commit to continued dialogue with all stakeholders aimed at creating an atmosphere where CSOs can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the national development goals.

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The Diverse Pathways for 4 Progress, (DP4P), Consortium

Zimbabwe Institute in collaboration with four CSOs namely, Centre for Applied Legal Research, (CALR), 4 H Zimbabwe, Ukuthula Trust and Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, (ZCA), are working to strengthen inclusive and participatory governance systems for Zimbabwe’s development.  This work is being done through the DP4P Consortium, a partnership whose objectives include, promoting national dialogue, constitutionalism, the rule of law, and national reconciliation, with a particular focus on youth and women’s participation in governance processes. The DP4P Consortium was launched in Bulawayo on 25 September 2024 and attended by key stakeholders including government, civil society, political party representatives and the international community.