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The Freedom of Information Act has been hailed as a progressive law which will amplify and complement other human rights.
Children’s rights activists in Hwange have revealed that the new Act is also a tool for the promotion of children’s rights.
Children’s rights activist, Mr Calvin Manika, who is the Director of Bancane Media Trust, said the Freedom of Information Act is an instrument for children to get information pertaining their needs.
“The Act should be adopted in the letter and spirit, especially by institutions of concern to children’s rights such as Victim Friendly Unit, Children’s Courts and ZRP section where there will be accurate coverage on children’s issues,” he said.
He said the unethical type of approach in obtaining information has been rampant in reporting or telling stories but now the act brings in the aspect of accountability as it provides access to official information.
“This is also a good piece of legislation to make children communicate and receive information which is also their fundamental right,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Sibusisiwe Mumba, the secretary for Women Coalition of Zimbabwe, Young Women’s Forum Hwange chapter, said the act will also help in questioning some Government entities on some of its provisions.
“As it is, most rural young girls are in desperate need of proper sanitary pads. Some girls opt to miss school because of menstruation. She would rather stay home than walk several kilometers to school feeling uncomfortable yet we hear that there are millions of dollars meant for sanitary pads for school children,” said Mumba.
She said the freedom of information Act is a weapon which will eradicate poverty and unfair distribution of resources in the country.
About $600 million has so far been released by the Government for the availability of sanitary pads to schools following the successful adoption of the Education Act (Chapter 25:04) which came into force on 6 March 2020, which approves and mandates the Government to avail these for girls of school going age.
Meanwhile the founding director of Tag a Life International (TaLi) Nyaradzo Mashayamombe has said the act will enable women, girls, youths and vulnerable groups to participate in democracy, human rights and accountability as they can easily access information that contributes to monitoring of usage of public resources.
“While the new law is viewed as a huge step – women and girls always fail to have access to such information. They often do not know how to use such developments to the advancement of their rights,” she said.
Mashayamombe said youths must be equipped with the knowledge of this Act to be able to participate and assert their rights to information which ultimately enables them to participate in governance and democracy for the betterment of their communities. Nhau/Indaba
