Special Rapporteur on
the negative impact
of the unilateral
coercive measures on
the enjoyment of
human rights, Ms.
Alena Douhan.
ZPP welcomes the deployment of a United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative
impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Ms. Alena Douhan,
at the invitation of the Government of Zimbabwe.
She will undertake an official visit to country from 18 to 28 October 2021 in order to gather
first-hand information related to the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the
enjoyment of human rights in a specific country, enabling her to conduct her assessment and
evaluation of such impacts and thus to prepare relevant recommendations and guidelines on
means to mitigate or eliminate these adverse impacts,” the UN has said.
“The purpose of the mission is to examine, in the spirit of co-operation and dialogue,
whether and to what extent the adoption, maintenance or implementation of unilateral
sanctions impedes
“the full realization of the rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
other international human rights instruments, in particular the right of individuals and
peoples to development.
We are confident that the Rapporteur will be able to meet all the stakeholders, including
those in the civil society.
Zimbabwe has been under United States sanctions since 2001, when the US government
enacted the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA).
The US action was replicated by the European Union which, in February 2002, imposed
sanctions on the southern African country because of “serious violations of human rights, as
well as violations of the freedom of opinion, freedom of association and freedom of peaceful
assembly.”
After the formation of the government of national unity between Zanu PF and opposition
parties in 2009, the EU eased sanctions to encourage political reform.
In February 2014, it eventually suspended sanctions on eight of Zimbabwe’s most powerful
military and political figures, but maintained them on the late former President Robert
Mugabe and his wife, Grace.
The human rights situation in Zimbabwe has not improved and if at all, “serious violations of
human rights, as well as violations of the freedom of opinion, freedom of association and
freedom of peaceful assembly” have worsened.