The communication strategies of the human rights commission of Zambia

Abstract

This study assesses how the Human Rights Commission of Zambia (HRCZ) communicates the human rights messages to the general public. The assessment involved 147 respondents from the general public. 15 Human Rights Commission workers were assessed to determine the target audiences of information dissemination and awareness of the human rights, and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the existing communication strategies.Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews with the HRC staff were conducted. Cluster sampling procedure, random sampling and participatory observation was used in the collection of information. The paper examines how the HRC information is disseminated to the general public in Zambia.The study concludes with recommendations towards more effective communication of human rights. It concludes that each human rights communication campaign should be developed to reach specific audiences with tailored messages, materials and interventions, strategically designed to meet specific objectives. The communication strategies must be consistent with the organisation framework in relation to resources and time frame so as to reach the set objectives.