By Obert Bore & Mutuso Dhliwayo

After years of inertia, the winds of progress are finally shifting in Zimbabwe’s journey towards responsible business conduct and corporate accountability. The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) recently convened a landmark multistakeholder meeting on 29 and 30 April 2025 aimed at building capacity of stakeholders and catalyzing dialogue for the development of a National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights.

The gathering brought together a broad spectrum of actors — from government, business, civil society, and regulatory agencies — marking a pivotal step toward aligning Zimbabwe’s governance framework with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Participants included representatives from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce, Environmental Management Agency, as well as private sector through the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was also in attendance .

Beyond knowledge-sharing and capacity building, the convening culminated in a tangible commitment: the Ministry of Justice pledged to take the lead in developing the country’s first NAP on BHR and have already incorporated into their strategic workplan. This is a significant. In the past  efforts had stalled for years despite growing advocacy by Civil Society Organisations and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) due to lack of commitment by the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliementary Affairs. However, the new commitment shown by the Ministry dovetails with ongoing momentum on responsible mining shown through the initiatives such as the Responsible Mining Audit led by the Cabinet,[1] and the development of a framework on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework led by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.[2]

A Decade of Advocacy Bearing Fruit

ZELA’s work on business and human rights dates back to 2012, when it began its pioneering efforts with support from the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR). ZELA implemented a projected titled “Pillars in Practice: Advancing the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the Mining Sector in Zimbabwe”.[3] In 2016, ZELA and DIHR produced a Business and Human Rights Country Guide for Zimbabwe meant to provide country specific guidance to help companies respect human rights and contribute to development. This guidance is vital for companies to manage their potential human rights impacts and to have comprehensive understanding of the Zimbabwean human rights context.

Over the past decade, ZELA has steadily championed the integration of human rights considerations into corporate practices, particularly in Zimbabwe’s vital, yet often problematic extractive industries with support from various partners that have included DIHR, GIZ, Oxfam, Hivos, the Finnish Embassy and Wellsprings Philanthropic Foundation. ZELA has also produced State of Business and Human Rights in Zimbabwe reports overs the years with a special focus on mining and agriculture sectors. Through capacity building, policy advocacy, and regional collaboration, ZELA has kept the conversation alive, setting the stage for this current momentum we are witnessing.

A NAP on BHR is a strategic policy document that outlines a country’s priorities and actions to protect human rights in business operations. Grounded in the UNGPs’ three pillars — the State duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and access to remedy for victims — a NAP provides clarity, coherence, and accountability.

For Zimbabwe, a NAP can:

• Provide clear guidelines for both government and businesses to prevent, mitigate, and remedy human rights abuses.
• Enhance the country’s attractiveness to responsible investors seeking jurisdictions aligned with international standards.
• Address long-standing concerns in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors of the economy where labor rights, environmental degradation, and community impacts are recurring issues;
• Strengthen protection mechanisms for vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and indigenous communities.

High-Level Commitment, but a Collaborative Road Ahead

The government’s commitment through the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs signals a fresh chapter — but the process of developing a NAP will require inclusive participation and broad stakeholder buy-in. Effective NAPs globally are built on robust baseline surveys, consultations, ensuring that the voices of affected communities, business associations, workers, and civil society are not only heard but integrated into policy and implementation. ZELA and its partners are poised to continue facilitating dialogue, offering technical expertise, and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to sustain this momentum.

In a landscape where corporate accountability and human rights have often been overlooked, Zimbabwe’s emerging commitment to a NAP holds the promise of building an economy that respects people and the planet — and delivers justice for all. This is  very important at a time when the world is facing a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

[1] https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/cabinet-okays-audit-into-responsible-mining/

[2] https://miningzimbabwe.com/govt-to-engage-stakeholders-in-formulating-mandatory-esg-policy/

[3] The project was implemented by Social Accountability International, Danish Institute for Human Rights , CSR Center in Bangaldesh, UNIRSE and Professional for Corporate Social Audit (PASE ) in Nicaragua . The project was implemented from 2012-2014