Human Rights Commission convenes strategic planning

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has today convened a five day workshop to review its strategic planning and organisation structure.

HRC Chairperson Pixie Yangailo says the review is aimed at making the commission adequately and effectively responsive to human rights needs in Zambia.

Ms Yangailo stressed that the commission must also review its strategic plans in order to meet the needs of citizens who expressed collective will by establishing the commission through parliament.

In a keynote speech in Lusaka today, Ms Yangailo revealed that the decision to restructure the operations of the organisation was to respond to the changing environment where people are now more aware of the commission’s role in governance.

The Human rights Commission chairperson affirmed the importance of strategic planning saying it ensures that the vision and mission of an institution are translated into actions and activities.

“Strategic planning helps to forestall haphazard operations that are reminiscent of ‘groping in the dark’. Our planning must take cognisance of the status of human rights in the country at the time of our planning and also forecast and focus on the likely scenarios in the future,” she said

Ms Yangailo stated that the human rights Commission will remain relevant to its purposes as well as to the expectations of the people locally and internationally

The Human Rights Commission has existed since 1997 following the passing in Parliament of the Human Rights Commission Act No. 39 of 1996. 

For ten years, between 1999 and 2009 the Commission’s operations were guided by a National Plan of Action which outlined the goals to be achieved and the methodologies to be utilised to attain these goals.