Zanzibar hosts key rights review ahead of UN assessment

ZANZIBAR: THE government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening human rights protection as Tanzania prepares its national report for the upcoming United Nations review, with officials urging stakeholders to submit credible data and practical recommendations.

Opening a stakeholders’ workshop in Zanzibar, Acting Minister of State in the President’s Office for Constitution, Legal Affairs, Public Service and Good Governance, Mr Suleiman Masoud Makame, said the government would continue working closely with civil society and development partners to promote and safeguard human rights.

“We will continue collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure human rights are protected, preserved and advanced,” he said during the meeting held on Monday.

The workshop reviewed the draft national report on the state of human rights under the fourth cycle of the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a mechanism through which UN member states are assessed every four years. Mr Makame said the meeting was crucial in ensuring Tanzania submits a comprehensive report reflecting the realities of both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

“This meeting carries special importance in ensuring Zanzibar’s contribution is fully reflected through credible evidence, so that the national report presents an accurate picture,” he said.

He urged participants to provide accurate information, reliable statistics and constructive recommendations to strengthen the draft report before its submission to the UN.

According to the minister, the fourth review cycle, scheduled for discussion in November this year, will assess progress made between 2022 and 2026, including implementation of the 187 recommendations accepted during the previous cycle in 2021.

The recommendations covered key areas including freedom of expression, access to information, education, healthcare, good governance, anti-corruption efforts and protection of vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities.

Mr Makame said Zanzibar continues to uphold principles of good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights as enshrined in the 1984 Constitution. He added that human rights protections must also be reflected in citizens’ daily lives through improved social services and socio-economic development.

Assistant Director of Human Rights in the Union government’s Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Mr Richard Kilanga, said the exercise provides an opportunity to verify and improve the report before it is submitted to international decision-making bodies.

“The involvement of both state and non-state actors is essential to ensure the report is inclusive and reflects the real situation on the ground,” he said.

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Secretary of the Zanzibar Association of Women with Disabilities, Ms Zeana Ahmed Kassim, said the report offers a platform for vulnerable groups to assess the extent to which their rights are being realised.

“In recent years, representation of persons with disabilities has improved, giving hope for greater participation in social and development issues,” she said.

Deputy Executive Secretary of the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance Zanzibar Office, Mr Juma Msafiri Karibona, stressed that UN member states are required to submit evidence-based reports.

He said a credible report would strengthen Tanzania’s standing in the international community while showcasing progress in human rights, governance and accountability.

The workshop forms part of ongoing national consultations aimed at refining the report before it is presented to the UN Human Rights Council later this year.