By Harold Sungusia (advocate)

Director of Advocacy at Legal & Human Rights Centre

Population – about 44 million; 120 ethnic groups; Language is Kiswahili

Land = 1.m Km2 of ¼ is wildlife and ¼ forests and jungle.

Rich but poor◦ 3rd producer of gold in Africa◦ Has natural gas, diamonds,

Tanzanite, most tourist attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro; Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater; great lakes

National Day is 26th April 1964 following the union of two countries Tanganyika and Zanzibar- both British colonies

a multi party - Republic Very stable-politically in

Africa– nor coup no civil war. Escalating trend of human

rights protection

LHRC’s - HQ - Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam

Established in 1995; Established by University Law Professors who were overwhelmed by the demand for legal assistance and human rights education

Begun as a project of TANLET – Tanzania Legal Education Trust

Registered on 26th September 1995 as a company limited by guarantee – a non-partisan, not for profit and non-governmental organisation.

By January 2012 – LHRC has:◦ 255 members◦ 64 permanent Staff, among them 15 are also practicing as advocates

of the High Court; ◦ 21 volunteers and Internship Students. ◦ 0 Members of the Board of Directors; ◦ 129 Human rights monitors; 490 Paralegals and

LHRC is a member to the Southern African Legal Assistance Network; Southern Africa Human Rights NGOs Network; East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network; World Coalition against Death Penalty; Coalition for Effective African Court; International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH); and belongs to several local networks.

LHRC has an observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; and works closely with some UN special Rapporteurs on specific issues.

LHRC engages and works closely with the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs; the Legal Sector Reform Programme; the Commission of Human Rights and Good Governance; the Judiciary; the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania and Law enforcement agencies such as Police and Prisons;

LHRC retains and strictly observes its neutrality policy – focusing on human rights as the overall goal. LHRC is never affiliated nor does it support any political party. The objectivity has given LHRC a credibility and moral command in the Tanzanian public.

LHRC publications are used by all the above mentioned beneficiaries

“a just and equitable society”.

“strive to empower the public, promote, reinforce and safeguard human rights and good governance in Tanzania”.

The Center’s goal in pursuing this mission is to “create legal and human rights awareness

and empowerment among the general public and, in particular, the underprivileged sections of society through: legal and civic education, advocacy, research, follow-up of human rights abuses and

provision of legal aid.”

To gather and disseminate concrete and up-to date information on policies, laws and issues of practice for advocacy;

To raise awareness and empowerment amongst the general public and build alliances with a view to advocating for good governance in Tanzania;

To identify and expose policy, law reform and issues of practice so as to advocate for change;

To improve the performance and sustainability of the LHRC; and

To provide consultancy services to government and non-governmental organizations with a view to promoting human rights and good governance in Tanzania

Civil rights and social justice◦ Respect of human rights◦ Defending human rights◦ Promoting human rights◦ Advocating for respect of human rights◦ Fight all forms of social injustice

Promote the infrastructure of democracy The highest moral principles

◦ Staff, Members, Clients, partners Transparency and integrity

◦ Openness: Financial records; Budgets; Projects◦ Trustworthy and Objective: Among ourselves; To the

public; To partners; To government Mutual respect and gender equity

◦ Respect the dignity of all; Non discrimination; Gender equality and equity

Accountability for performance and results◦ to oneself; to others/ hierarchy; to public; to

partners Life-long learning

How does LHRC put its

-programmes,

-objectives and

-activities

into concrete reality?

From 2007, LHRC started implementation of a six years strategic plan - 2007 to 2012.

Three major outcomes have been formulated to guide operations;

1. To improve policy, legal framework and community capacity for social justice.

2. To strengthen partnership and public engagement for human rights and good governance

3. To improve institutional capacity to ensure good performance and sustainability of the organization.

NB: a baseline survey is used to benchmark the current trend and situation of human rights with a view of measuring the results or the impact LHRC will have after implementation of its operation plan.

Annual General Meeting

Board of Directors

Directorate of Advocacy and

Reforms

Directorate of Capacity Building

and Empowerment

Directorate of Finance and

Administration

Executive Director

Monitoring &Evaluation

Information

Access to

justice and

strategic

litigation

Corporate & Environmen

t watch

Governme

nt watc

h

Arusha Sub

OfficeConstitutional

Reforms

Parliament

& Electio

ns Watch

Outreach,

Universities &

civil societie

s

Research

& Human

Rights

Monitoring

Gender &

Children

Administratio

n & Human Resour

ces

Finance

Fundraising and Consultancy

LHRC’s Organizational SetupLHRC’s Organizational Setup

Strategic ApproachStrategic Approach

Directorate of Advocacy and

Reforms

Directorate of Capacity Building

and Empowerment

Directorate of Finance and

Administration

Ensuring proper implementation of the

right.

Spelling out nature of the right

Ensuring acceptance of the right

Directorate of Advocacy and

Reforms

Directorate of Capacity Building

and Empowerment

Directorate of Finance and

Administration

•

•Legal and human rights education to victims of human rights abuses

•Access to Justice by Poor

•Identifying issues for advocacy and reforms

Legal Aid Clinic - Kinondoni

Briefing the Visitors to Our Legal Aid Clinic – Lawyers’ Circle Project [from UK]

 OLD CLIENT NEW CLIENTS

TYPES OF CASE MALE FEMALE TOTALTOTAL MALE  FEMALE TOTALTOTALGRAND GRAND TOTALTOTAL

Employment  1798 198 19961996 411 78 489489 24852485Matrimonial 280 717 997997 71 203 274274 12711271Land 3131 1228 43594359 502 226 728728 50875087Contract 305 57 362362 38 13 5151 413413

Children Rights 23 49 7272 14 45 5959 131131Tort 493 112 605605 157 12 169169 774774

Probate 353 521 874874 105 105 210210 10841084Insurance 319 69 388388 48 12 6060 448448Others 902 301 12031203 112 52 164164 13671367TOTAL 7604 3252 1085610856 1458 746 22042204 1306013060

In 2011 LHRC reviewed, edited 26 different self help kits. 17,400 copies of self help kits were produced and disseminated to indigents according to their assorted cases.

LHRC produces electronic self help kits as from 2011

Documentation Centre

Empowering the publicEmpowering the public

Translation of International Human Rights Instruments into Local Language – i.e. Kiswahili:1.The Universal Declaration of Human Rights2.The ICCPR3.The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights4.The Protocol to the African Charter on rights and welfare of children5.The Protocol to the African Charter on Women Rights in Africa – Maputo Protocol6.The UN convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Providing Civic and Voters’ Education and Observing Elections:1.LHRC provides civic and voters education2.LHRC coordinates the Tanzania Civil Society Consortium on Election Observation3.LHRC participate in election observation teams outside Tanzania. In 2005 – Cameroon; in 2007 – Kenya; in 2011 Uganda and Zambia. 4.LHRC uses web-based facility for election observation in collaboration with USHAHIDI [Kenya] and HIVOS [the Netherlands]

Election Monitoring and Observation

LHRC since 1998 has been advocating for a new Constitution. In 2011 the national process for a new constitution begun – • LHRC is thus providing constitutional education the members of public through:•Radio; •Television; and• publication of books and booklets.

Capacity Building - Empowered Paralegals on

Constitution

Monitoring the Role of Non-State Actors in relation to Human Rights:1.LHRC monitors business and private sector generally on

• Labour rights• Environmental justice• Land/Property rights• Consumer rights

2.LHRC researches and publish materials to educate local communities on their rights in relation to investments 3.LHRC collaborate with the government and legal fraternity to hold accountable such companies that violate human rights or pollute environment

Meeting with Non-State Actors – Zantel one of mobile phones

company

Media Briefing - Campaign against Mineral Exploitation

Advocacy for Decent Work

LHRC has 490 paralegals in 17 districts in Tanzania equipped with basic legal education and human rights specifically on human rights monitoring, land rights, civil and criminal procedures, gender, organization development and networking.

LHRC established village Information Centres in 15 districts

For 133 districts in Tanzania , LHRC recruited 129 Human rights monitors.

LHRC provides a sort of stand-by support to the paralegals and human rights monitors in the whole country.

LHRC runs a weekly Radio and Television Programme for human rights education to the public

FACT FINDINGS and Follow ups on human rights abuses

LHRC conducts ad hoc fact finding missions whenever there is a violation of human rights

LAUNCHING the 2010 Situation of Human rights Report in Tanzania

It succeeded to mobilize 50 students from 12 universities within Tanzania and trained them on issues pertaining to human rights and good governance in the country.

The universities that have formed human rights clubs include St. John - Dodoma and St. Augustine – Mtwara branch, University of Dodoma and Tengeru College for Social Studies - Arusha).

LHRC works very closely with the Parliament of Tanzania by reviewing the Bills tabled in order to determine whether the content thereof is compatible with human rights standards embodied in various treaties that Tanzania has ratified

LHRC participates in various human rights campaigns such as:◦ International Human Rights Day◦ International Day Against Death Penalty◦ African Child Day◦ International day on Women Rights◦ International Day against Corruption◦ International Day on HIV/AIDS

Campaign against Death Penalty – Victim’s Witness

LHRC & Supporters Marching for Human Rights Day- Dec. 2011

LHRC’s Board Meeting Session

Demand of LHRC services beyond the LHRC s ability; Delay of cases in courts and tribunals. Role of non state actors in violating human rights Lack of political will be the government to reform all

laws and policies in order to conform with the international standards of human rights

Maximum Donor dependency & Lack of sufficient funds to support sustainability plans such as initial operating costs for University of Bagamoyo [LHRCs project];

Lack of full cooperation/support from some of law enforcement agencies in addressing issues of human rights especially in making follow up and seeking redress to human rights violations;

Prevalence of low level of human rights education most laws and human rights materials in a language not

understood by majority of the population Human rights is not taught as a subject of its own in most

higher learning institutions

Continuous Learning Most of the political, social and economic challenges that face Tanzanian communities may be similar to the ones that are faced by the Thai communities and other countries - so lets keep on learning from one-another; i.e. learn form the University of Minnesota

Being AccessibleHuman rights centre – need not be one for the whole country – BUT it needs government/private sectors partnership to set-up sub offices of the human rights center at least in every province in Thailand

Being RelevantThe objectives of the centre can easily be realized if it would be established basing on peoples-centred approach – there should be conducted a national wide needs assessment to establish specific and peculiar peoples’ needs before setting up such a centre. Produce materials accessible to the marginalized groups

Being Dynamic and adoptiveWith the current availability of various devices of technology – the work of such a centre can also be enhance by making use of technology i.e. social media, mobile phones and internet generally

Being Practical and provide solutionsThe human rights centre needs to be relevant to the public not only by providing human rights education, data base and publications; BUT more importantly to create an avenue of practically assisting people whose rights are at jeopardy to get some redress – this can be done by the Centre to work with the Thai Commission of Human Rights, NGOs, Legal Aid Schemes. Academic institutions, Judiciary and other law enforcers

Being Reliable and credibleThe centre must be a resourceful entity with timely materials produced from thorough researches conducted by credible individuals

Thank You For ListeningAsante Sana.[swahili]

For more details please visit:www.humanrights.or.tz

Or write to hsungusia@humanrights.or.tz