Alumnus Launches Needs Assessment for Zimbabwe

Bright Chimedza, 2022 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumnus, has recently published his latest needs assessment report – part of a career-long commitment to protecting human rights in Zimbabwe.

Shortly after his time at the Presidential Precinct, Bright notes that he made a distinct pivot towards “needs assessments and forecasting on solutions requisite to address the human rights crisis in Africa.”

Reflecting further, Bright shared: “The Mandela Washington Fellowship experience has not only broadened my perspective but also equipped me with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively assess community needs and navigate the ever-changing political landscape.”

Bright’s latest report launched January 11 and is titled “Building Capacity for Monitoring and Documenting Human Rights Violations During Internet Shutdowns”. He summarizes the report as an “in-depth analysis on the (1) State of Preparedness, (2) Likelihood Probabilities, (3) Capacity Pedigree and Internal Appraisal, (4) Communication Strategies / Contingency Pathway, (5) Familiarity with Circumvention Tools (6) Reliance on Traditional Communication Tactics, (7) Collaboration with Digital Rights Practitioners, and (8) Challenges Experienced and Role of the Donor Community.”

Also this month, Bright worked on a January 2024 journal article titled “Political Renditions, Judicial Constraints, and the Exorcism of Bailable Rights in Zimbabwe”, published through the Annual Journal on Democracy, Governance, and Human Rights, where he highlights human rights violations specifically within Zimbabwe’s magistrate courts.

Moving forward, Bright is seeking out partnerships to leverage his research and broaden his impact. ” The needs assessment is just the beginning of a broader project aimed at advocating for digital rights and access to information in Zimbabwe,” he told us. “I am eager to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations who are passionate about addressing this issue and working towards the restoration of internet freedom in Zimbabwe.”

Follow Bright’s work through his LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bright-chimedza-207282142/

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. State Department with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. The Presidential Precinct is a sub-grantee of IREX and is implementing a U.S.-based Leadership Institute as a part of the Fellowship.