A/HRC/19/14 8. The National Gender Policy advanced the cause of women’s rights. The massive investment in education since independence and the land reform programme embarked upon by Government in 2000 have contributed immensely to the empowerment of the previously disadvantaged indigenous Zimbabweans. The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Policy facilitated and enhanced the greater participation of the people in mainstream economic activity and access to the means of production and self-sustenance. 9. Regarding criticisms levelled, particularly against the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Zimbabwe remained convinced that the two laws, among other legislation, were fair and constitutional mechanisms to regulate the conduct of meetings in a democratic State. It rejected the views that these pieces of legislation unjustifiably interfered with some liberties of the individual and noted that there was strikingly similar legislation in the jurisdictions of some Member States. 10. Zimbabwe had an independent judiciary tasked with the impartial interpretation of human rights law and continuous development of human rights jurisprudence. The Constitution guaranteed the independence of the judiciary and the newly promulgated Judicial Service Act provided for its budgetary autonomy. 11. Zimbabwe was run by a Government of National Unity (GNU), comprising the three main political parties which were signatories to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)-facilitated Global Political Agreement (GPA). 12. Zimbabwe responded to advance questions asked by some Member States. The delegation reported that the three political parties had negotiated a legal framework that would ensure free and fair elections. The framework was captured in the Electoral Amendment Bill which was before Parliament. 13. Regarding POSA, the delegation affirmed that it was in its present form adequate to regulate meetings, gatherings and demonstrations. POSA was amended in 2007 as a result of negotiations among the major political parties and was modelled along the provisions of the South African legislation. 14. GPA further provided for the need to train security-sector personnel in subjects such as human rights. The security services were appointed to uphold and defend the Constitution of Zimbabwe and their conduct was regulated by Acts of Parliament, Regulations and Standing Orders. The concerns of Western countries regarding the politicization of the police and military authorities, were misplaced, subjective and grounded in error. The Security Sector Reform that is demanding the dismissal of former liberation combatants from the uniformed forces was unacceptable. 15. As for the death penalty, the issue was being considered in the Constitution-making process. The ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights would be considered once a position had been reached on whether or not to abolish the death penalty. Zimbabwe reported that the ratification of the Convention against Torture was under active consideration by the Government which would review the legislation and identify gaps before ratifying and domesticating the Convention. 16. The delegation informed the Working Group that legislation which governed the detention of offenders was in line with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. Furthermore, the Government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Task Force to look into the conditions of detention facilities and make recommendations on their improvement. 17. Zimbabwe stated that it passed the Domestic Violence Act in 2007. In line with the Act, an Anti-Domestic Violence Council was established in 2009 with the overall mandate 4