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Claiming Human Rights - in Zambia

The Republic of Zambia is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Zambia is an English-speaking country in Southern Africa. It is a landlocked, quite large country with an area of 752,618 square km. On a global scale, its population density is low. The capital of the country, which became independent on 24 October 1964 from the United Kingdom, is Lusaka. Zambia is a member of the regional economic communities SADC and COMESA.

With a Human Development Index of 0.48 Zambia ranks 164th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 12.6 million inhabitants at birth is 46 years, population growth is 2.5 percent per year. GNI is 950 US-$ per capita. External debt is 27.9 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 94.0 percent.

In as far as Zambia has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Zambia and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Zambia may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Zambia is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Zambia may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Zambia has ratified.

Since Zambia is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Zambia has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature:   Ratification: 1984 (accession) Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol: 1984 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2006 Last concluding observations: 1996  
Signature:   Ratification: 1984 (accession) Reservations: yes/oui Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 2005  
Signature: 1968 Ratification: 1972 Reservations: no/non Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2005 Last concluding observations: 2007  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1985 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 2008 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 2002 Last concluding observations: 2011  
Signature:   Ratification: 1998 (accession) Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2006 Last concluding observations: 2008  
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1996 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2002 Last concluding observations: 2003  
Signature:   Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2010 Ratification: 2011 Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2008 Ratification: 2010 Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2008 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1984 Ratification Protocol African Court:   Ratification Children's Charter: 2009 Ratification Maputo Protocol: 2006 Last State report: 2006  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui  
Country Rapporteur: no/non  
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:49