Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)

Context

Formed in 2002, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) exists recognising the position of doctors and other health professionals as frontline witnesses of progress in realisation of human rights, and also recognising the potential power of the voices of health care workers to influence policy and its implementation. The vision of ZADHR is the enjoyment of health and human rights by all Zimbabweans.

The objectives of ZADHR are as follows:

Website
www.zadhr.org

Area of Work
Africa

Contact Person
Calvin Fambirai

To educate, empower and encourage health professionals to be knowledgeable about, curious to investigate, able to document and competent to analyze human rights and abuses thereof in Zimbabwe and the region;

To lobby Government(s) to respect and fulfil the right to health and all other human rights;.
To investigate and document violations of human rights;
To liaise and build strong networks with domestic, regional and international medical organisations concerned with human rights;
To promote and protect the rights of members who are persecuted for promoting and protecting the human rights of others
To do all other things necessary to promote and protect health and human rights, including protection from torture.
The organisation is currently implementing 5 programmes, namely Right to Health Accountability Programme; Health and Human Rights Education Programme, Campaign Against Torture; Programme on the Health and Human Rights of Vulnerable Groups; and Health Policy and Health Systems Programme .ZADHR is a membership based organisation directed by an elected Board and administered and managed by a small Secretariat of 5 full time staff members and volunteers. It is a member of International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organisations (IFHHRO) and has observer status with the African Commission on Health and Peoples’ Rights. The organisation’s chairperson received the Edward K Barsky Award in 2007.

Approaches to implementing Community monitoring/ accountability

ZADHR work through engaging and empowering its membership of health professionals to be able to identify policy gaps in their areas of work both in institutions and in communities. ZADHR, also mobilises and capacitates communities to to demand transparency and accountability in health.

Results and Lessons

Through the 'Campaign for the Inclusion of the Right to Health in the New Consitution' ZADHR mobilised communities and health professionals to campaign for the right to health in Zimbabwe's new constituion which saw the Right to Healthcare being guaranteed in Chapter 4 Section 76. Further, through trainings for both communities and health professionals, ZADHR has realised that the is a lack of appreciation for health as a human right but a need. Consequently, such ignorance has led to failure by both groups to demand good governance and prioritisation of health on the government agenda. It is this deficiency that ZADHR also seeks to fill though conducting civic education.