Quarterly Bulletin

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers,

In Zambia today, there is generally a consensus that development is much desired. We Zambians know exactly what the problems are and the corresponding solutions to these problems. This, as seen in articles in this JCTR Bulletin lies in admitting these problems and finding countermeasures to them. Various writers of this quarter of the Bulletin suggest ways of bringing about development ranging from concentration on trade relations to critically analyzing our socio-economic evils. But one of the underlying and crosscutting factors of development is the respect and enjoyment of human rights.

Many of you are aware that JCTR launched a petition campaign last year to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) to include Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) in the new Bill of Rights of the New Republican Constitution. In the current Bill of Rights (Part III of the current Constitution), there are only Civil and Political Rights leaving ESCR only as directives that the state can fulfil given enough resources (in part IX of the 1996 Constitution). ESCR aim at ensuring that every individual has access to resources, opportunities and essentials for an adequate standard of living. Examples include the right to food, water and sanitation, good education and the right to adequate health. JCTR strongly believes that these rights are significant in the realisation of integral and sustainable human development in Zambia. When one looks at the Zambian Government’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and the policy measures in the Fifth National Development Plan (FDNP) 2006-2011, one sees that ensuring that ESCR are respected and enjoyed will contribute to meeting these MDGs and help in fulfilling the goals and objectives of the FNDP.

Since the launch, two activities have been cardinal to our campaign: public sensitization and gathering of signatures.  Public sensitization has involved holding TV/Radio programmes, giving workshops to different civil society groups, producing materials (policy briefs, brochures and posters) and distributing them, as well as having radio and TV interviews on these important rights.

So far, we have gathered more than twelve thousand (12,000) signatures in the petition campaign. Thanks to the many people who are giving this campaign the attention it rightly deserves. This campaign continues and we plan to publicly hand over the petition to the National Constitutional Conference any time soon.

Although the public does generally welcome the idea of including the ESCR in the New Zambian Constitution given their importance for development, there has been resistance from key political leaders who have tended to minimize the seriousness of having these rights in the Bill of Rights. Their main argument is that we are too poor to enjoy such rights despite the repeated emphasis from JCTR on the recognition of progressive realisation (gradual implementation of these rights based on available resources) and setting the priorities right in the budgeting process. What such an argument shows is the lack of clear understanding of how these rights can be implemented and a lack of political will (a form of laziness on political leaders when they like blaming the poor as being lazy to develop). It becomes difficult, for instance, to believe that Zambia is too poor to afford panadols in hospitals or clinics (right to health) or ensuring clean and safe water to citizens when Zambia has the largest water resources in the whole of southern Africa. In the end we will be told “Zambians are too poor to live”. So as citizens, let us not approach such an important issue with indifference. Human rights are for all of us and we have to work towards our enjoyment of them at the highest attainable standard.

Two articles in the Bulletin focus on such ESCR; one on the right to food, asking whose duty it is to provide for this right and the other on the right to water and sanitation arguing that the right to water and sanitation cannot be compromised or taken away.

The question on the use of the environment and the use of harmful substances has continued to come up in the past three Bulletins and indeed in this one. Of special interest have been issues of climate change and the use of DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane) to deal with the Malaria problem. Although clear arguments have been given on both sides on whether issues of climate change and use of DDT are a real problem to our wellbeing, we are yet to see conclusive arguments on these issues. Further discussion on these issues is encouraged as ignorance and dogmatism has remained a scourge in these areas.

It is our hope at JCTR that a continued interest in human rights issues, basic living conditions, good governance issues, issues of development, and those of the environment will lead to a better understanding of how Africa, Zambia in particular, can develop and create opportunities for people to enjoy basic needs, their rights and their humanity. Comments are very welcome on any of the issues raised in this Bulletin.

Sr. Kayula G. Lesa, RSC
Editor