Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association

The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association’s work is relevant to the work of OECD Watch on the OECD Guidelines in a number of ways.

Firstly, ZELA’s work is aimed at ensuring that activities of Multinational Corporations are done in a way that does not negatively affect communities’ Environmental, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (EESCR). This is relevant to OECD Watch’s work on monitoring and commenting on the work of OECD’s Investment Committee and other relevant OECD bodies.

Secondly, where the work of Multinational Enterprises have violated the EESCR of communities, ZELA institute legal proceedings to protect and promote their rights. This is relevant to OECD Watch’s work on advising and supporting NGOs about filing complaints against companies alleged to have breached OECD Guidelines.

Thirdly, ZELA’s work is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive sector through initiatives like Publish What You Pay Campaign (PWYPC) and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). This is relevant to OECD Watch’s work on contributing to the wider civil society campaign for international regulatory frameworks for corporate behaviour.

Fourthly, ZELA’s works aimed at ensuring that Multinational Corporations plough or give back to the communities where they are operating from through Corporate Social Responsibility. This is relevant to the OECD Watch work on testing the effectiveness of OECD Guidelines for the Multinational Enterprises as corporate accountability tool.

Fifthly, ZELA’s work is aimed at disseminating information and building the capacity of civil society organisations in Zimbabwe to understand initiatives that promotes transparency and accountability like PWYPC and EITI that addresses issues to do with disclosure, environmental impacts of Multinational Corporations and taxation. This is relevant to OECD Watch’s work on disseminating information to civil society organisations especially in developing countries about international investment, corporate governance and accountability and the OECD Guidelines.

www.zela.org