Background of Chapter One Foundation
Chapter One Foundation (COF) officially opened its doors on 8th July 2019. Chapter One was founded to promote and protect human rights, human rights defenders, constitutionalism and the rule of law through litigation, advocacy and civic education in a sustainable manner. Chapter One Foundation is named after Chapter One of the Laws of Zambia which contains the Constitution. The Constitution is the supreme law by which every Zambian, regardless of status is bound. We at Chapter One Foundation take our constitutional duty to uphold and defend the Constitution very seriously.
Chapter One Foundation stemmed from a seed planted many years ago through interactions between its Founder, Linda Kasonde, and an organisation called Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human rights, or ZLHR as it is otherwise known, is an organisation that aims to strengthen human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. The courage, competence and tenacity of its lawyers, who operate under very challenging circumstances, has long been a source of inspiration to the founders of Chapter One Foundation.
Chapter One Foundation is financially supported by donors who all recognise the growing need to defend the civic space in Zambia.
Human rights, the people that defend human rights, constitutionalism and the rule of law are facing a growing threat the world over and Zambia is no exception. Increased inequality, growing populism and weakening of public institutions and public accountability is affecting our ability to deliver on the sustainable development goals that Zambia has signed up to. The mere existence of public institutions is not enough to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights; these public institutions must also be guided by certain principles that ensure the institutions truly function for the benefit of society. Some of these principles are:
- Participation of citizens in governance and public life thereby influencing decision-making in the country.
- Responsiveness of public institutions meaning that systems should be efficient and effective as well as transparent.
- Rule of Law: This means that laws are enforced objectively and impartially for the public good.
- Respect for human rights and social cohesion: ensuring that all sectors of the economy must work to realize human rights.
- Accountability, meaning that all decision-makers are answerable to the people of Zambia and take responsibility for their decisions. It also means that there are effective remedies against maladministration.
It is these principles that guide the work of Chapter One Foundation, our goal is to see a Zambia where citizens are freely and actively participating in the governance of Zambia, and where “we the people” take our rightful place as the authors of our own destiny. To achieve this, we recognize that we have to put the individual at the heart of our work, that is why human rights are at the core of what we do.