EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In October 2025, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) documented a total of 116 human
rights violations across the country, affecting 2,531 individuals, of whom 1,360 were
female and 1,171were male. Among these, 58 women and 51 men were persons with
disabilities. The violations recorded included gross abuses such as forced displacements,
hate-motivated violence, threats, and physical assault. Additional infringements
encompassed restrictions on freedom of assembly and association, curtailment of
freedom of expression, unjustified arrests, and inequitable access to government aid and
essential social services.
Analysis of perpetrators revealed that ZANU PF supporters were 19.2% of the
perpetrators, with the party’s leadership at various levels accounting for 12.1%. Local
authorities contributed 16.5%, while the Zimbabwe Republic Police and traditional
leaders were counted as 15.2% and 9.8% of the violators respectively. Other state
actors, including school authorities and security personnel, together accounted for 11.5%,
while civilians unaffiliated with any institution represented 14.1%. Members of the MDC-A
were responsible for 0.7% of violations.
Provincially, Harare recorded the highest number of violations (38), largely linked to
service delivery failures, followed by Mashonaland East (20), Manicaland (16), and
Matabeleland North (13). Mashonaland Central and Midlands each recorded 8 violations,
Mashonaland West and Bulawayo 5 each, and Masvingo 3.
The “Ten Steps Backwards” section highlights the persistent infringement on citizens’
rights due to the failure of local authorities to provide essential services, emphasizing the
urgent need for systemic reforms to uphold human dignity, accountability, and
sustainable development.
These findings underscore the urgent necessity for inclusive governance, impartial law
enforcement, and strengthened mechanisms to protect citizens’ rights, ensuring that
political, social, and economic development in Zimbabwe is grounded in justice and
human dignity.
2%
Victims
44.3%
2.3%
Male PWDs
1120 victims
Male
51 victims
Female PWDs
58 victims
51.4%
Females
1302 victims
2