THE ZIMBABWE Human Rights Association (ZimRights) will on Thursday host community human rights defenders awards at a local hotel in Bulawayo, where honours will be shared among 40 categories. MAMELO NKOMO OWN CORRESPONDENT
ZimRights national director Okay Machisa told Southern Eye yesterday that his organisation this year increased categories from 21 to 36.
“A continuation of an already existing annual culture, the main purpose of the awards night is to honour outstanding human rights defenders of 2014 with nominees drawn from 12 provinces in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“This is part of the organisation’s commemorations of the International Human Rights Day annually celebrated on December 10.”
The theme for this year is, “Celebrating Community Courage”.
Among the prominent nominees are historian, Pathisa Nyathi, Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba, human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, Harare West legislator Jessie Majome and Jestina Mukoko.
The main objectives are to honour outstanding human rights defenders at the community level, raise awareness on human rights and engage State parties in the human rights rhetoric.
Machisa said community human rights awards were a means by which ZimRights raised awareness and recognised outstanding individuals for their work, which consolidated human rights causes in their respective constituencies.
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“They also serve as a motivating factor for other members within those communities to demonstrate and uphold human rights in all they do with the hope of getting recognition for their good deeds,” he said.
