Catholic Commission for
Justice & Peace
Promoting justice and peace in the diocese of Chinhoyi
Since 1972, the Commission has been a respected force for social justice in Zimbabwe. With support and guidance from Church and secular partners, CCJP regularly engages thousands of community members of all religious backgrounds in activities that promote peaceful and meaningful interactions across the socio–economic and political divides.
CCJP envisions a God fearing and democratic and prosperous diocese.
To ensure that people’s lives are transformed through a just and peaceful society.
What We Do
Our organization is founded on the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church (STC). This means that we work without regard to religion, race, gender or ethnicity. We also emphasize the use of innovation and integration to achieve maximum impact.
CCJP structures are present from the smallest community known as outstation (grassroots), working to maintain peace throughout the country to the parliamentary level where we advocate for policy changes.
Our operations stretch across 9 civil districts in 2 provinces, Mashonaland West and Central.
Community Capacity Building
This is a key strategy we use to share skills and knowledge among community members to spearhead the necessary changes that eradicate unjust social, economic and cultural norms that hinder development.
Peace Building
We have vast experience in peace-building, research and documentation of issues of democracy, human rights and advocacy.
We have a team of highly-trained justice & peace actors who are community-based change agents: working and living within their communities.
The Business of Change
Over the past 50 years we have designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated various community programs.
We have the perfect formula that leads to long-term & sustainable change benefiting all stakeholders from the rights holders to government ministries.
Our Projects
CEADZ
Civic Engagement for Accountability and Democracy in Zimbabwe
CEADZ is a governance project which seeks to empower women and youth to participate and lead, & to have meaningful influence that effects political, economic and social change.
This project is operating in 4 districts: Hurungwe, Makonde, Guruve and Rushinga. The project includes key activities such as gender responsive governance trainings, women social accountability forums, tax compliance and tax awareness trainings, ward engagement planning meetings, constitutional awareness trainings, youth social accountability forums and engagement forums for solution leaders.
Project Objectives
-
To increase the capacity of women & youth in the Chinhoyi diocese to participate in accountability processes.
-
To strengthen engagement platforms for women and youth in the Chinhoyi Diocese to engage with solution holders.
YFZ BRIDGE
Youth Voices Forum- Building Resilient Initiatives for Development Good Governance
YFZ is a governance project aimed at empowering young people between the ages of 18-35 to engage governance structures for improved community development through promotion of social accountability mechanisms and dialogues.
The project is active in two districts: Makonde and Hurungwe. Social accountability trainings, youth voices forums, constitutional read and discuss meetings, feedback meetings, tax compliance and tax awareness trainings, budgeting and budget processes meetings with youths and solution holders are some of the key activities we engage in.
Project Objectives
-
To equip Youth Voices Forum and solution leaders with enhanced knowledge on constitutional provisions that promote youth responsive governance
-
Youth Voices Forum and Solution leaders can demonstrate progressive inter-generational and power relations.
-
Solution leaders can demonstrate increased/ improved accountability on youth issues
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Youth engagement in Chipfuwamiti (Makonde district)
Gone are the days when decisions can be made without considering and including the youth.
The CCJP team was in Chipfuwamiti in the Makonde district on a workshop to awaken the youth on their role in community development. Before the implementation of the Youth Voices Forum (YVF) bridge project, youth in the Chipfuwamiti noted that they were not represented and had no recognized platform to engage with their local leaders or service providers for better service delivery.
They had no platform to openly and confidently speak about socio-economic issues affecting them.
The YVF platform enabled the youth in the Chipfuwamiti community to get involved in community development structures such as WADCO communities, School Development Association committees, and child protection committees.
These roles have enabled them to benefit from the allocation of resources such as food and land as well as other political, economic, and social aspects in the community. Through interaction and engagement with local leadership, the YVF team in Chipfuwamiti was allocated a piece of land where they will collectively do agricultural activities, and generate income.