PRESS STATEMENT ON THE STATE OF CIVIC SPACE IN ZIMBABWE

 National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO) Press Release on Civic Space in Zimbabwe,

HARARE, Zimbabwe, 18 January 2021

 The National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO) is a Youth Umbrella Body for youth organizations working in Zimbabwe.  NAYO is a Youth Sector representative in the National Association of NGOs (NANGO).

 Acknowledging the steps being taken by the Government of Zimbabwe through the recently announced National Lock-down meant to contain the spread of Corona Virus; which has had devastating effects on the people of Zimbabwe;

 Committing ourselves to support the Government of Zimbabwe, Africa CDC, and WHO in fighting the deadly pandemic;  

 Noting with Concern the continued shrinking of Civic Space in Zimbabwe, in form of arrests, detention,  harassment of youth activists and student leaders. The continued detention of Student Leader Alan Moyo remains a cause for concern in a constitutionally guided democratic country. The lack of involvement, lack of dialogue between the government and Youth CSOs on the strategy to contain the virus need urgent attention. In recently announced regulations CSOs are not considered as an Essential Service; a set back for human rights and accountability;

 Guided by the dictates of the Zimbabwe Constitution in particular the Bill of Rights and the African Youth Charter-Article 4 on Freedom of expression which calls on the Member States to, ‘ensure that every young person is assured the right to express his or her ideas and opinions freely in all matters' and Article 5 on Freedom to Association which calls on the Member States to 'ensure that every young person has the right to free association and freedom of peaceful in conformity of the law;

 Perturbed by the continued criminalization of free speech and expression of dissent, detention without trial,  rise on pending Courts cases within the Courts of Zimbabwe, suppression of  peaceful protests;

We thus make an urgent plea and call to the Government of Zimbabwe and all relevant institutions and agencies of Government to:

· Consider Stakeholder Approach to uphold the Bill of Rights and create Enabling Environment for youth, citizens,  CSOs, and people living in Zimbabwe.

· Uphold the dictates of the African Youth Charter to which Zimbabwe is party, which calls on Member states to respect and uphold freedoms to expression and peaceful assembly for youth;

· Stop the arrest of youth leaders, activists and the immediate release of the young  people currently detained in prisons

· Take appropriate steps to engage CSOs as an essential sector in fighting Covid-19.

· Give urgent attention to the livelihoods of young people who have lost their sources of income through  Covid-19 restrictions.

 For further media inquiries contact: The NAYO Secretariat at  info.nayo@gmail.com   or via Mobile: 263 734 832 025

NAYO Launches Constitutional Hubs and Accountability Platforms

As a way to catalyze youth urgency in local and national processes; the National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO) in partnership with SAPST supported by the European Union (EU) Delegation to Zimbabwe has launched Constitutional Hubs and Accountability Platforms at local level.

 The Zimbabwe Constitution is at its infant stages, but the majority of the population are not aware of the rights and responsibilities enshrined in this document, further to that; there is limited knowledge by youth who constitute 67 percent of the total population on how they can hold the local and national leaders accountable using the constitution and by-laws.

 Juxtaposed on this realization, NAYO through the #LeaveNoYouthBehind Campaign is  facilitating formation of Constitutional Hubs at local level, as a vehicle to breed community champions who are knowledgeable of the constitution. The Hub will act as an engine to further multiply the knowledge to other community members, at the same time feeds into the Accountability Platforms; where citizens meet with local political leaders, local authorities, traditional structures, among other stakeholders to deliberate on challenges facing their communities; with sustainable solutions proffered.

 Currently, the Constitutional Hubs and Accountability Platforms have been created in Mutasa Rural (Manicaland), see Twitter thread here: https://t.co/oZNrqsdTKg  and Chinhoyi Urban (Mashonaland West), see Twitter thread here: https://t.co/6LVu2LCqQo As a way to embrace technology, NAYO will start Virtual Constitutional Hubs and Accountability Platforms to complement the physical activities already under way and to be established in other provinces and districts. NAYO is working with its members such as Mutasa Youth Forum and youth advocates at community level to make the constitution a living document. 

 To further multiply the gains of the Constitutional Hubs and Accountability Platforms; young people will launch a national wide initiative dubbed Know Your Rights Campaign an off and online campaign that is expected to start in 2021, based on the Zimbabwe Constitution, the Africa Youth Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 #LeaveNoYouthBehind  

 Contact: nayozim@gmail.com / info@nayoafrica.org 

Statement on the Increasing Arrests of Student Activists in Zimbabwe

 

National Association of Youth Organizations Statement on increasing arrests of student activists in Zimbabwe for exercise of freedoms to Assembly and Association, HARARE, Zimbabwe, 14 September 2020

 The National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO) is a Youth Umbrella Body for youth organizations working in Zimbabwe. Its vision is to see a repositioned, redefined and enhanced role of youth in community and national, regional and international developmental processes;

 Guided by Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which provide for freedoms to peaceful assembly and of association which provide for these rights in International law and sections 58 (every person has the right to freedom of assembly and association) and 59 (every person has the right to demonstrate peacefully) of the Zimbabwean Constitution;

 Perturbed by the shrinking civic space in Zimbabwe under the guise of measures to control the spread of COVID-19 through the use of legislation to suppress the legitimate exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly and association; criminalization, indiscriminate and excessive use of force to counter or repress peaceful protest with over 30 activists under ZINASU arrested for inciting violence and stigmatization of and attacks against civil society actors and imposition of restrictions targeting particular groups;

 Noting with concern the arrest of the ZINASU president for leading a protest by ZINASU demanding answers from Impala on the role the company played in the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa a student with the Midlands State University (MSU) and the arrest of ZINASU students protesting at the Harare Magistrates Court demanding the release of the ZINASU President and several other arrests recorded this year;   

 We thus call upon and implore the Government of Zimbabwe and all relevant institutions and agencies of Government to:

· The Government of Zimbabwe to respect and uphold the rights of students and other non-state actors exercising freedoms to association and assembly – the continued criminalization of these rights goes against the dictates of the Constitution and set international human rights laws;

· The Government of Zimbabwe to release from incarceration jailed student activists and for related Courts in Zimbabwe to expedite cases relating to the exercise of freedoms to association and assembly – delays in justice act as deterrents to exercise of civil and political rights by all;

· The Government of Zimbabwe to uphold the Siracusa Principles on the Limitation and Derogation of Provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – the indefinite extension of the National Lock-down to curb the spread of Covid-19 goes against the dictates of the principles as it calls on States to provide ‘effective date of the imposition of the State of Emergency and the period for which it has been proclaimed’ among other measures; and

· The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to undertake a National Inquiry into violations relating to the exercise of freedoms to assembly and association since the onset of the National Lock-down to curb covid-19 to guide institutional reform and practice of State Institutions implementing measures in response to a National Disaster.

//END//

For further media inquiries contact: The NAYO Secretariat at nayozim@gmail.com; or via Mobile: 263 734 832 025

International Youth Day; Young People in Africa Introspect on Freedoms

National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO) in partnership with Civicus under its flagship program 'Youth Pushing Back'  gathered young people from Zimbabwe, Africa and renowned activists from the African continent and the United States to explore on issue of shrinking civic space, worrisome events in Zimbabwe, and the role of youth in finding lasting solutions. The event which was dubbed The Big Youth Conversation Conference  was done in commemoration of International Youth Day and as a continued efforts by NAYO under #YouthCivicSpaceZw  to make sure the government observe the rule of law and freedoms enshrined in the constitution. 

Watch the Conference here: https://www.facebook.com/nayo.zimbabwe/videos/3149694998459333/ 

NAYO Condemns the Systematic Arrests of Youth Activists #YouthCivicSpaceZW

The National Associations of Youth Organisations (NAYO) condemns in strongest terms the arrest of two youth leaders today, namely: Namatai Kwekweza, the founding Director of Youth Lead and Vongai Zimudzi a Human Rights Activist.

The two have been arrested for simply, and peacefully protesting against the intention by the Executive to amend the Zimbabwe Constitution, barely few years after the Constitution was brought to life, also the two protested against the decision by the Parliament of Zimbabwe to proceed with Constitutional Amendment Number 2 hearings, whilst the majority of Zimbabweans are in lock-down, and unable to contribute to this public process.

The arrest came at a time when three political activists namely; Joana Mamombe, Cecelia Chimbiri and Nestai Marova are languishing in custody following their abduction, torture and rape, and the state followed by arresting the trio on frivolous charges.

NAYO) is perturbed by the continued crackdown on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Journalists, Activists, and Human Rights defenders; most of whom are youth.

NAYO encourages the government to respect fundamental rights of youth and people as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, mainly in the Bill of Rights, which is categorically clear on freedoms of Assembly, Association and Expression.

NAYO urges the government of Zimbabwe to respect people's voice, as shown in the just ended consultation by Parliament, that people have rejected the idea of amputating the Constitution, but called for its full implementation. 

NAYO urges young people to unite and fight for their rights, using peaceful means. It was young people in the history of the world who led peaceful revolutions towards economic emancipation. 

NAYO urges the government to work with young people for a holistic solution to the current challenges facing the country. 

#LeaveNoYouthBehind