N AT I O N A L I N Q U I R Y R E P O R T ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION For Human Dignity “My name and surname are different on the birth certificate and ID, and on the ID, it was registered as female and not male…. I am retired and NSSA required a birth certificate and because of the inconsistencies, I cannot access my benefits.” 56-year-old Male witness, Mashonaland Central Province . “…For the elderly persons, most fail to get their NSSA benefits because they do not have IDs ...” Councillor, Mashonaland East Province 39-year-old Right of accused, arrested and detained persons ‘My case was not heard speedily since I didn’t have a document to prove my age therefore, I had to stay on remand in order for me to be tried as a young offender” A young offender from Marondera Prison, Manicaland Province. “Challenges caused by lack of birth certificates include juveniles being prosecuted as adults because they cannot prove their age…” 28-year-old Female Legal Officer representing Justice for Children Trust, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. “With child offenders, we must prove they are a child and they have to go through age estimation which usually takes long. Magistrates also take the upper age limit on estimation and children end up being charged as adults with steeper offences carrying steeper sentences.” Female Provincial Social Welfare Officer, Mashonaland East Province. Right to Human Dignity One woman without documents said that each time she had a misunderstanding with her husband, he would refer to her as “gora” (wild cat, whose origins are unknown). “My family members are not recognized in Zimbabwe since they are not registered. Even cattle are registered and have stock cards so why are my children failing to have documents” witness from Manicaland Province. “If you have no ID, unoloser hunhu hwako, (Without an ID one loses their dignity).” 57-year old male, Gokwe South, Midlands Province. “A lot of married women have been returned home by their husbands because they had no identity documents and were referred to as zvidhuura (fake people)”. Councillor from Ward 2 in Mutasa District, Manicaland Province. “Some threaten to commit suicide because they consider themselves as not being human beings without an identity. In my ward, there are about 300 people who are un-documented. Vanasikana vanodzoswa kuvabereki vavo nokuti havana mapepa vachinzi zvidhuura. (Women without any documentation are returned to their parents and are referred to as fake people.) 59-year-old female Councillor, Mutasa District, Manicaland Province “Shuwa munhu kukundwa ne mombe ine card… (A human being without national documents is worse off than a cow which has a stock card)” Male Chief, Nyanga District, Manicaland Province. Right to Education “The impact is double tragedy for children because the BC is used the most at school, leading to disadvantages in sporting activities where they cannot participate completely. Future life is affected because spaces in life close without a BC and an ID.” Headmistress, Mberengwa, Midlands Province. “I am a widow, staying with 3 grandchildren (born 2007, 2010, and 2012) without birth certificates. …I want the kids to get birth certificates, they are not getting school reports, and are left out on schools sporting activities. The kids are very intelligent and ask me questions that l fail to answer”. 72 year, Gutu Masvingo Province “Among children enrolled at school without birth certificates, are intelligent children and those talented in sport who fail to realize their potential. The impact is a double tragedy because the birth certificate is a requirement for school and lack of it leads to disadvantages in education and sporting activities where they cannot participate completely. Future life is affected because spaces in life close up without a birth certificate and an identity”. Headmistress representing Vubwe High School in Mberengwa, Midlands Province. 93 93