THE CATHOLIC COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN ZIMBABWE (CCJPZ)

General Information

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) was formed by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference in March 1972. The Commission’s mandate was (is) to contribute to the common effort of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference and the whole Church in Zimbabwe to promote integral development, favor justice between people and nations and to build lasting peace.

The Commission is affiliated to the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace in Rome and has contacts with other Commissions in other countries through regional Episcopal Conferences like Interregional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) among others. As a Catholic Commission, it is committed to the promotion of the Social Teaching of the Church. It is apolitical and will always endeavor to address justice and peace issues in a non-partisan manner.

Core Business or Objectives

To achieve its mandate and in conformity with Pope Paul IV Justitia at Pax (Justice and Peace) the Commission’s objectives are as follows:

• To assist in the formation of the seminarians, clergy, religious and Christ’s faithful in the Social Teaching of the Church.
• To study in depth, disseminate and help to implement the social doctrine of the Church’s Magesterium.
• Collect, synthesize and evaluate studies referring to the development of the people. Peace, justice and human rights with a view to aiding pastoral activity and to involving Christians locally and nationally.
• To disseminate the Social Teaching of the Church as it relates to justice, human dignity and peace.
• To monitor and comment on the human rights situation in the country
• To assist where possible the victims of human rights violations.
• To research on particular human rights issues and publish the findings.
• To be in regular contact and collaborate with other organization inside outside the Church by keeping the conference, its secretariat and other concerned bodies informed on Justice and Peace issues and assisting as requested by them.
• To promote informed consciences among all people and by such means to influence the shaping of public opinions in accordance with the Gospel.
• Endeavoring to obtain information on specific acts of injustices and violations of human rights, especially in Zimbabwe, express Christian solidarity with those suffering injustices and submit its findings to the Conference.
  National Office

The core business of the National Office is co-ordinate the activities of the Diocesan Commissions in all the eight dioceses.

• To fund raise for national coordination activities as well as Diocesan Commission s.
• To monitor the human rights situation in the country and report to the Bishops’ Conference and to conduct a research whenever there are human rights violations
• To make Press Statements on national issues that need attention.
• To network with other local, regional and international bodies in the promotion of human rights.

Programmes or Activities of the Commission

1. Economic Justice and Good Governance
   The aim of this programme is to make people aware of the causes of economic melt down and the proffering of solutions. Researches are carried out by the Diocesan Commissions with the help of a local Consultant so as to monitor the economic situation in Zimbabwe and its effects on the poor. There are periodic price and incomes reviews and these are published. The major objective is to influence the policy makers, employers and other people of goodwill to influence in the making of pro-poor budgets and the entrenchment of good governance in our country.
2. Peace Building, Healing, Reconciliation and Integration
   The main target group of this programme is the rural communities as they constitute the majority of the victims of political violence in our country. Political violence that has imbedded our society and left it divided. The main aim of this programme is to attempt to rebuild the broken or damaged relationships, reconciling differences between all the citizens and healing of memories so as to promote development.
3. Human Rights Awareness Through popularization of Zimbabwe Constitution Regional and International Instruments
   This programme aims at spreading and raising awareness through dialogue in both rural and urban areas on the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The main emphasis on this programme is on Chapter 3 that deals with Bill of Rights. Many rural and some urban people have very little awareness of their rights and are thus subject to various forms of abuse by politicians in most cases. The place and relevance of Regional and International Human Rights Instruments is also raised with view of campaigning for the domestication of our laws to comply with these ratified agreements.
4. Social Teaching of the Church
   This is core business of the Commission in general. The National Office has this programme that is implemented in all the eight dioceses so as to enlighten the people on the Social Teaching of the Church. The standard manual is used by facilitators will be translated into local languages so that local people can read and understand the content
5. Election Observation and Monitoring
   The Commission places election observation and monitoring as principal in the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights and basic freedoms. To this end, the Commission observes national elections and issues very informative and critical reports that would help authorities to provide accountable and people centred leadership.
6. Advocacy and Lobbying
   As one of the key non state actor in Zimbabwe, the Commission advocates for a paradigm shift on topical issues that affect the well being of people. Thus, the Commission focuses on the abolition of the death penalty, non recognition of gay marriages, corruption, constitutionalism, rule of law among other issues
7. Networking
   In order to fertilize its own operations and also to gain more insight into the complex world, the Commission cherishes the fruits of collaboration and networking. Due to its strategic position in Zimbabwe, many organizations associate with the Commission for various genuine reasons. The Commission acts in solidarity with like minded organizations to promote the common good.
8. Public Discussions
   In order to involve and let the people speak their minds on topical issues Commission arranges public discussions or brain storming sessions so as to get their thoughts. This helps the Commission in formulating the Church’s position on important matters.
   

Diocesan Commissions

The Diocesan Commissions are responsible for monitoring the human rights violations in their respective dioceses and report to the National Office for possible action –

• To implement programmes in their dioceses at community level.
• To hold workshops and seminars in conjunction with the National Office and network with other groups in their dioceses.
  

Our Contacts

THE CATHOLIC COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE LIST OF CONTACT DETAILS