SADC LA Human Rights Committee

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SADC LA Human Rights Committee
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History of SADCLA

• Established in 1999 as an independent voluntary
  association of Law Societies and Bar Associations
  within the SADC Region

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CONSTITUTION OF THESOUTHERN AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENTCOMMUNITY LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

• Preamble Para 2
• (SADC) Bar Associations and Law Societies share
  the same vision, beliefs and aspirations with
  regard to upholding the rule of Law, promoting
  the respect for human rights, especially the
  rights of women, people with disabilities and
  children,

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SADC LA Strategic Plan of Action 2003-2008 Key
Advocacy Areas

• Rule of law
• Independence of the Judiciary
• Suggested addition Human Rights Defenders,
  Networking

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Human Rights Committee Secretariat

• Inaugural meeting of the Human Rights Committee
• Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
• has offered to provide secretarial
• services to the Human Rights
• Committee.

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Proposed Governance Structure
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History of ZLHR

• Founded in 1996, over 170 legal practitioners,
• advocates for a just, democratic, peaceful and
  prosperous Zimbabwe based on a culture of respect
  for human dignity and rights through the
  observance of the rule of law, unimpeded
  administration of justice, free and fair
  elections, the free flow of information and the
  protection of constitutional rights and freedoms
  in Zimbabwe and the surrounding region

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Current ZLHR projects

• Public Interest Litigation,
• International Litigation,
• Human Rights Training,
• HIV and AIDS and the Law,
• Human Rights Defenders,
• Judicial Watch,
• Publications