#ZAMI2026 Currently in session is a Gender, Climate Change and Extractives Symposium. The tone of the day has been set by Dr. Makanatsa Makonese who presented findings from a ZELO Gender Impact Assessment Report 👉 zela.org/download/gender-imp… During her presentation, she unpacked the policies, customary practices, and social norms that shape access to land, security of tenure, and economic opportunity for women, emphasising that "consultation is a basic principle of respect and honoring the dignity of people." Her views were echoed by Rose Mosi of the International Institute for Environment and Development who spotlighted the need for women, youth and community leaders to be organised, part of the conversations and help in monitoring environmental harms. She said they could be part of demanding accountability and propose practical alternatives forward. The conversation continues... @SthrnAfrcaTrust @The_SARWatch @zccinzim @GenderZimbabwe @ActionAidZim @CAID_Zimbabwe @ZIMCODD1 @ACTAlliance

We are at the 2026 Youth Environmental and Natural Resources Convening, where young people are leading important conversations on the future of environmental and natural resources governance. The discussions are engaging key emerging issues, including critical minerals governance, responsible mining standards, the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, ESG developments, community expectations, the mineral value chain, and opportunities for meaningful youth engagement. The convening is also aimed at strengthening youth participation, representation, and accountability in environmental and climate decision-making across the region, while reflecting on safety, safeguarding, civic space, and the implications of the legal framework for community advocacy, EHRDs, strategic campaigns, evidence-based advocacy, media engagement, and stakeholder mapping. Special thank you @CAID_Zimbabwe and partners for ensuring that youth voices matter in shaping just, inclusive, and sustainable natural resources governance. @tdh_saco @SaveChildrenZIM @SAYoF_Official @UNICEFZIMBABWE @Obertbore @HillaryMugota @macjoshy @BMutasa @iamkudadube @ManeleMpofu #YouthLeadership #NaturalResourcesGovernance #ClimateAction #CommunityAdvocacy

🥁Our 2025 Annual Report is out and what a year it's been ! From rebranding to influencing national policy, empowering communities to shaping the next generation of environmental lawyers - 2025 was a year of impact, resilience, and transformation. Here's a sneak peek at what we achieved together: ✅ Successfully transitioned from the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) to the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO). ✅ This rebranding dovetailed with the celebration of our 25th Anniversary, making it a foundational event that sets the stage for our strategic direction. ✅ Demonstrated significant influence over key national policies and laws, being the only civil society organization invited by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to review the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, successfully influencing proposed amendments for the formal recognition of artisanal miners. ✅ Led the clause-by-clause review of the Climate Change Management Bill for the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife. ✅ Launched the inaugural Environmental Law Conference and established the first-ever Environmental Law Clinics at the University of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University. We're proud. We're grateful. We're just getting started. 👉 Read the full report: zela.org/download/zelo-2025-…

🤝 Great partnerships create lasting impact! Something exciting is taking shape! We are thrilled to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO) and @AfricanParks, marking the beginning of a new partnership dedicated to supporting sustainable conservation around Matusadona National Park. Together, we are bringing our strengths to the table to foster meaningful community engagement, encourage inclusive participation, and support conservation efforts that benefit both people and nature. This is more than just the signing of an agreement, it is the start of a shared journey built on collaboration, trust, and a common vision for thriving communities and protected landscapes. 📖 Read our full article from the link below to discover what this partnership means and what lies ahead. zela.org/zelo-and-african-pa…

Braving the chilly weather on a Saturday morning, Gwanda showed up to clean up Vumbachikwe mine environs in belated 2026 World Environment Day commemorations. The clean-up campaign, supported by Terre des Hommes Germany, amplified urgent calls for #ClimateAction while aligning with both national and international themes for the day. With a strong emphasis on a plastic-free environment and nature-based solutions, the initiative directly tackled the triple planetary crisis - climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Led by the Go Green Youth Club and Sabiwa Primary School pupils, the day served as a powerful pledge to safeguard a clean environment for today’s children and tomorrow’s leaders The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation thanks Gwanda Rural District Council, @EMAeep @MinOECW and The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for making this initiative a resounding success. @HillaryMugota @macjoshy @iamkudadube @BMutasa @UNEP

Proud moment for us at the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation @ZELO_Infor As a new member of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM), ZELO is honored to be part of this partnership that seeks to promote the integration of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining into responsible mineral supply chains, access to minerals for companies and improved wellbeing of mining communities and sustainable development outcomes for mineral producing countries. This aligns with our work at ZELO on promoting the formalisation, profitable participation, access to markets, environmentally safe mining and the protection of community rights in the ASM sector in Zimbabwe and beyond. Last week, Our Deputy Director, @ShamisoMtisi represented us at the EPRM Members Meeting and the 10th Anniversary Conference held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 9-10 June 2026.

The project “Promoting the right to a healthy environment for children and young people affected by environmental degradation caused by the extractive industries” is supported by the children's rights organization Terre des Hommes Germany.

The day of the African Child is rooted in scholarship, and we celebrated the day on 16 June with school environmental club members in Gwanda. The 2026 theme was: “Ensuring universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for every child in Africa.” ZELO is committed to advancing the realization, promotion and protection of Environmental Child Rights within the natural resources sector. In partnership and with support from Terre des Hommes Germany, we are implementing a project that advances a multistakeholder approach to ensure that environmental child rights are recognised and promoted within the natural resources sector. This year’s theme aligns with our focus on Environmental Child Rights as it draws attention to the challenges faced by children, particularly girls, in rural areas and informal settlements, where lack of access to clean water and hygienic facilities can hinder school attendance and personal development. More insights on the day in the thread below👇 @HillaryMugota

"Institutionalize meaningful child and youth participation in dialogue and decision making platforms," - @macjoshy

Benefit-sharing is the new benchmark in Carbon Markets. Across 5 countries - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe - community rights and transparent benefit-sharing have moved from "nice-to-have" to legal requirements, a major shift toward climate justice. A recently published comparative analysis by @ShamisoMtisi and Dr. @chantelle_moyo reveals how 5 African nations are shaping high-integrity carbon markets. Download: zela.org/download/a-comparat… Also in the report: ➡️Following the troubled Kariba REDD+ project, Zimbabwe's new regulations require 20% minimum community investment, establish blockchain-based registry transparency, and domesticate the UN's Sustainable Development Tool. ➡️With its 2023 Climate Change Amendment Act, Kenya now mandates 40% of carbon revenues from land-based projects go directly to local communities. Community Development Agreements are legally required. ➡️Zambia's Forest Carbon Stock Management Regulations require public inspection of project documents, including baseline calculations and additionality proofs. Only genuinely commercially sensitive information can be withheld, a model for balancing investor confidentiality with community accountability. ➡️The African Union's Biodiversity Strategy (2023-2030) and the First Africa Biodiversity Summit (Botswana, 2025) signal growing interest in payment for ecosystem services (PES) and biodiversity offsets. The report notes these could become the next frontier alongside carbon markets, but warns that legal frameworks must catch up. @theGCF @AfClimateSummit @climatenewsrom @FordFoundation @SwedeninZW @UNEP @UNFCCC @Obertbore

🚨 ZELO's first Quarterly Bulletin is out! Download the full edition which tracks developments in environmental law, climate governance, and natural resource regulation affecting Zimbabwe and the region: bit.ly/48UB8TB Key highlights include: ⚖️ Zimbabwe High Court Ruling: Mining certificates without EIA are INVALID. 🚫 Raw mineral & lithium export ban in 🇿🇼confirms gaps from our Mine to Market report (2025). 🌍 African Commission Resolution 657 affirms that access to climate/environmental info is part of the right to healthy environment under the African Charter. Also inside: 🔹 Zimbabwe's first mini-grid policy 🔹 Climate Change Management Bill (awaiting 2nd reading) 🔹 US exit from Paris Agreement 🔹 National Biodiversity Strategy 2026–2030

Join us for the launch of our 2025-2029 strategic plan. With 25 Years of advancing environmental justice under our belt, we continue to plan and strategize to improve sustainable natural resources management globally. Indeed, we are locally rooted, regionally respected and globally engaged! Thank you to all partners and friends for walking this journey with us. Follow the proceedings here as we launch the 5 year strategy we are implementing: facebook.com/share/v/18CjvTa… @ActionAidZim @SwedeninZW @GenderZimbabwe @AGZim_Official @EMAeep @CAID_Zimbabwe @ZiFMStereo @ShamisoMtisi @Obertbore @ParliamentZim @SADC_News @Zimparks @zawima3 @MinesSchool @MinistryMines

Shaping Future Environmental Lawyers Last week, ZELO had the privilege of delivering a guest lecture to Environmental Law students at the @GreatZimUni Faculty of Law, Herbert Chitepo Law School. Our Deputy Director, @ShamisoMtisi , shared the ZELO journey, how it began and the strategies shaping our work. 🎥 Watch the highlight on our Youtube channel; youtube.com/watch?v=D8z2RsXU… . . @HillaryMugota @Obertbore @NorChurchAid @BMutasa

We are excited to share highlights of ZELO’s participation in the 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba and Alternative Mining Indaba! From engaging with over 30 Ministers from Africa, to networking with thousands of investors and executives - including over 1,500 investors, 1,700 mining executives, 700 industry experts, civil society and development partners - we used these platforms to champion responsible and sustainable mining practices. For a recap of our engagements, check out our Mining Indaba Newsletter (Special Edition). Download your copy here: zela.org/download/mining-ind… @AltMiningIndaba @MiningIndaba @MinistryMines @ShamisoMtisi @SwedeninZW @Obertbore @macjoshy @BMutasa @TIZim_info @zidainvest @ParliamentZim @EMAeep @EU_Commission @ACTAlliance @ZIMCODD1 @zccinzim @CNRG_ZIM @263Chat @CanEmbZimbabwe

From the classroom to the community , this week our environmental law clinic takes us to Bikita. Together with law students from the @GreatZimUni Herbert Chitepo Law School, we are engaging communities affected by mining to better understand environmental and social challenges on the ground. Read more on our blog: zela.org/environmental-law-i… @NorChurchAid @SwedeninZW @HillaryMugota @ShamisoMtisi @jnyamukunda @BMutasa

𝐙𝐄𝐋𝐎 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐧 The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO) views Government’s recent ban on the export of Lithium concentrate as a development which will help plug mineral leakages. Having identified the risks and vulnerabilities in the lithium sector in our recent Mine to Market Situational Report for critical minerals which tracked Zimbabwe’s Lithium supply and value chains, we take comfort in knowing that some recommendations in the situational report are aligned with Government’s position at this moment. Read the full statement here 👉 zela.org/zelo-statement-on-l… Didn't get a chance to read the ZELO Mine to Market Situational Report for critical minerals? Download your copy here 👉zela.org/download/mine-to-ma… @ShamisoMtisi @Obertbore @SwedeninZW @SwedeninEU @euinzim @ActionAidZim @The_SARWatch @IRMA_mining @HakiRasilimali @MiningIndaba @AltMiningIndaba @StateDept @thestandardzim @OECD @Mining_Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO) attended this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba, a gathering that brought civil society together with governments and businesses under the theme: Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships. In this article, ZELO MEAL Officer Joshua Machinga reflects on the value of such direct engagement, highlighting why it is essential for civil society actors and community representatives to be in the room with key decision-makers. Yet, while acknowledging the positive aspects of these opportunities, he also issues a challenge to policymakers and the corporate world: if these engagements are not backed by genuine commitment, they risk becoming mere lip service. He says for mining to truly sustain development in Africa, dialogue must translate into concrete action. Read the full article below here: zela.org/stronger-together-c… @ShamisoMtisi @Obertbore @macjoshy @AltMiningIndaba @zccinzim @ZIMCODD1 @CNRG_ZIM @FMaguwu