THE ROLE OF NGOS IN

PROMOTING AND
PROTECTION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS
M226446 MUYAMBO TINOTENDA
M225934 TSHUMA CLAIRE STHABILE
M226515 NKIWANE SHYLET
M226543 MANYERUKE TSITSI
WHAT IS AN NGO?
 An NGO is defined as non-profit organization that operates independent of any government,
typically one whose purpose is to address a social and political issue.
 These were first recognized in Article 71 of the United Nations Charter. - these operate at an
international level representing all kinds of people by ensuring the upholding of everyone’s
human right
WHAT GOVERNS THE
ACTIVITIES OF NGOS IN
ZIMBABWE?
 NGOs in Zimbabwe are mainly regulated by the Private Voluntary Organization Act (PVO
Act), which was enacted in 1996 and amended in 2004 and there is an amendment bill that
was made in 2022. The PVO Act provides for the registration of voluntary organizations that
conduct humanitarian work, charity, human rights work and legal aid for the benefit of the
public, families, individuals and animals. The PVO Act also establishes the Non-
Governmental Organizations Board of Zimbabwe (NGO Board), which is responsible for
overseeing the registration, governance and funding of NGOs. Also, The regulatory body
overseeing NGOs in Zimbabwe is the National Association of Non-Governmental
Organizations (NANGO). NANGO plays a crucial role in regulating relationship between
NGOs and the government.
NGOS AND THE UNITED
NATIONS
 The phrase “non-governmental organization” came into being alongside the United Nations in
1945. The UN Charter lays out the relationship between NGOs and the United States. Article
71 reads: The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation
with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence.
Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with
national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned.
EXAMPLES OF
INTERNATIONALLY
RECOGNISED NGOS
 Amnesty International
 International Committee of the Red Cross
 ROLES OF THE NGOS
 1. They advocate for and with the helpless. They are the voice for the voiceless by
attempting to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf. They have the
role of advocating for environmental, social, economic human rights. Thus, promoting social
change on a board scale and locally. For example, in Switzerland there were toxic wastes that
were being dumped in a land fill that contaminated the surrounding areas which bought and
agreement on the complete clean up, initiated by Greenpeace.
 2. They support innovation, demonstration and pilot projects. This means that they may
support projects and can even lead or pilot them. This is because they have the ability to act
faster than the government its self. This is evident in the Ogeik case where an NGO took it to
the African Court for a tribal people to attain back their land.
CONT’D
 3. They facilitate communication as they do communicate to policy makers about the
families of communities. They also allow for the horizontal communication between policy
makers and its people. For example, the defeat of apartheid in South Africa.
 4. They also conduct researches, monitor and evaluate issues which ensures the careful
documentation of sharing of innovative ideas. For example, BRAC is an NGO that focuses on
social development in terms of microfinance, risk and disaster management among other
things.
 5. They lobby for the change of national, regional and international laws. The Global
Witness for example campaigns against natural resource conflict and corruption on the
environmental and human rights that flow from it. They fought for diamonds to be used as
conflict free commodities by establishing an international diamond certificate scheme
CONT’D
 6. They promote knowledge and respect of human rights among the population of the
world. For example, CARE International is an NGO that supports gender equality, the issue
on climate change, right to food and clean water
 7. They provide necessary and essential healthcare. While responding quickly to
emergences. For example, Doctors without borders operates to assist those who need medical
attention without a free. It’s like prodeo in the medical field.
 8. Raises awareness on gender equality, non-discrimination and economic
empowerment. While also supporting and provide assistance to the survivors of such
occurrences. For example, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) helps Romani activists
to fight for their equality. Another example is the Lolos organisation that raised awareness for
the disabled so that public transport and traffic should be more accessible to everyone
regardless of their condition.
CONT’D
 9. They also lobby for change ending harmful policies. For example, due to an
intervention by an NGO an international treaty was created to prohibit land mines.
 10. NGOS have the softest level being a soft persuasive power of groups for example
Amnesty International, international human rights NGOs or groups like the UN Human rights
council putting reputational / moral pressure on governments by highlighting the abuses taking
place and hoping that out of concern for their reputation governments will mend their ways.
 11.Many human rights NGOs also include, at least as part of their activities, some type of public
awareness or educational work. Realising that the essence of their support lies with the general
public, NGOs will often try to bring greater knowledge of human rights issues to members of the
public. A greater knowledge of these issues and of the methods of defending them is likely to
engender a greater respect and this, in turn, will increase the likelihood of being able to mobilise
support in particular instances of human rights violations. It is that support, or potential support,
that lies at the base of the success of the NGO community in improving the human rights
environment.
CONT’D
 12. Advocacy and Awareness: NGOs raise awareness about human rights issues by conducting
campaigns, publicizing cases of human rights violations, and advocating for policy changes.
They work to educate the public, policymakers, and international bodies about human rights
standards and violations.
 13. Monitoring and Reporting: NGOs monitor the human rights situation within a country or
region. They document and report on human rights abuses, providing evidence to support legal
actions, policy changes, or public awareness campaigns. They act as watchdogs, shining a
light on violations and demanding accountability.
 14. Legal Support and Justice: NGOs often provide legal aid and support to victims of human
rights abuses. They assist individuals or communities in accessing justice, pursuing legal
remedies, and seeking redress for human rights violations. NGOs may also engage in strategic
litigation to establish legal precedents and challenge unjust laws or practices.
CONT’D
 15. International Advocacy: NGOs engage with international human rights mechanisms, such
as the United Nations (UN) and regional human rights bodies, to advocate for the protection
and promotion of human rights. They participate in sessions, submit reports, and collaborate
with other NGOs to influence policy, raise concerns, and hold governments accountable on the
global stage.
 16. Partnership and Collaboration: NGOs collaborate with governments, other NGOs, civil
society organizations, and grassroots movements to strengthen collective efforts in the
protection and promotion of human rights. They form coalitions, networks, and alliances to
amplify their impact, share resources, and coordinate advocacy initiatives.
CONT’D
 17. Many NGOs, especially advocacy NGOs, focus on exposing human rights violations and
holding abusers accountable. Amnesty International is a good example. In 2020, they released
a briefing entitled COVID-19 Crackdowns: Police Abuse and the Global Pandemic. Using
data from 60 countries, AI documented cases where law enforcement agencies committed
human rights abuses under the guise of controlling the disease. The briefing highlighted a
series of abuses, such as beatings and killings, discrimination, arbitrary arrests and detentions,
and restrictions on peaceful assembly. While some restrictions are necessary during a
pandemic, law enforcement had – in AI’s words – “often played a far too prominent role in
what is fundamentally a public health issue.”
CONT’D
 18. Capacity Building and Empowerment: NGOs work to empower marginalized groups and
individuals by providing them with knowledge, skills, and resources to assert their rights. They
conduct training programs, workshops, and awareness campaigns to enhance the capacity of
communities to advocate for their own rights and participate in decision-making processes.
 19. Bridge Between Government and Local People As I have discussed before, NGOs are the only
factor that can easily access the local people and deeply understands their problems. They can
understand where the problem lies for the lacking of human rights. NGOs reach more than the
Government. There is a need for cooperation between the two levels of grassroots organizations
aiming to impact the state’s decisions to encourage the fact that the impact of transnational NGOs is
limited by the internal politics of target states. Thus, national/local NGOs erode sovereignty from the
inside; meanwhile, international NGOs are seen as external to state sovereignty. Usually, advocacy
NGOs (like Amnesty International) threaten and weaken state sovereignty rather than service-
delivering NGOs. The latter’s aim is to change the status quo in favor of the interests of the people
that they are representing and pressure the governments to support the issues that are addressed by
NGOs.
CONT’D
 20. They provide essential healthcare Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
names a right to health. That right is threatened in many ways, including during crises like natural
disasters and conflicts. There are many NGOs focused on providing medical care, including the
International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Responsibilities include
providing medical, social, and psychological services, as well as educational programs, training,
and health advocacy. Certain NGOs may focus on one specific area, such as children’s health,
reproductive health, or nutrition. Many partner with local organizations.
 21.Many NGOs work to advance gender equality, combat gender-based violence, and advocate
for women's rights and empowerment. The constitution of zimbabwe typically includes
provisions aimed at protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, such as women, children, and
persons with disabilities. International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(CRPD) and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) provides a legal foundation for NGOs such as Human Rights Without Frontiers to
make sure that these rights are observed.