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 6.3.3 Late Registrations Findings revealed that one of the root causes for non-documentation was late birth registration. While the law138 provides that all births should be registered within forty-two (42) days after the birth of a child, people still registered births late because of several reasons discussed in Chapter 3. Late registration adversely affects documentation since the requirements increase and become more expensive and difficult to meet over time. 6.3.4 Poverty Poverty and harsh economic conditions prevailing in Zimbabwe during the National Inquiry hindered access to documentation as people fail to meet the costs for services and travel to the DRG offices and ancillary issues, such as accommodation and food etc. It was noted that in most cases, transport costs of accessing the DRG offices are necessitated by the lack of decentralisation of significant number of services. For instance, transport costs of RTGS$200 from Gokwe to Gweru were more than the passport issuing fees of RTGS$53. Inaccessibility of DRGs offices is a hindrance to access to documents for communities for example in Insiza and Umguza, the nearest DRG’s office is in Filabusi and there is no road network to get to Filabusi, such that people have to come via Bulawayo. The transport costs are not affordable to many in that community, about RTGS$60 to Bulawayo and then another RTGS$40 to Filabusi one way. And because the DRGs office gives numbers for people to be served per day, some get there late and fail to be served. Additionally, exorbitant statutory fees of RTGS$5000 for citizenship applications affected most foreigners who failed to apply for citizenship by registration due to cost. Further, this fee does not distinguish applicants who have lived in Zimbabwe from a young age, including former migrant workers from neighbouring countries, from other foreigners seeking citizenship through registration. 6.3.5 Lack of Knowledge In terms of the findings, lack of knowledge has led to non-documentation for a significant population in Zimbabwe. There is generally a huge knowledge gap139 on the importance of and requirements for obtaining national documents, location of the DRG and on new developments relating to documentation. Further, there is also lack of knowledge that registration of birth is a legal requirement for every person, which must be done within forty-two (42) days of its occurrence. This was noted in Chapter 3 as a factor which escalated the problem for people in terms of accessing other national documents. Lack of knowledge on registration requirements results in people being turned away for failure to meet requirements at the DRG offices. Currently there is little being done to bridge the knowledge gap by the DRG office as evidenced by general lack of information on requirements, lack of a department responsible for public education and awareness within the DRG. There is generally lack of IEC materials in vernacular languages, public billboards and information campaigns in the print and electronic media. 6.3.6 Generational Non-documentation One of the major root causes of non-documentation are generational trends, which emanate from a plethora of reasons including Gukurahundi, un-documented grandparents and parents particularly mothers and death of parents before child is registered. For instance, a 57-year-old widow from Gwanda Rural District testified that her three children and five grandchildren were un-documented because she herself was not in possession of any national documents. Unless special measures are taken to break the generational cycle, the trend of nondocumentation will continue. 6.3.7 Special Interest Groups Vulnerabilities of special interest groups140 require services that are responsive and tailor made to their peculiar needs so that barriers they encounter are addressed and access to documentation is enhanced. For instance, special consideration is required for Gukurahundi-affected communities and the special interest groups mentioned in Chapter 4. Section 11 (2) (a) of the BDR Act [Chapter 5:02] See analysis of knowledge gap in section 6.8 140 As discussed in Chapter 4 above. 138 139 51 51