You Must Know Them: Dewa Mavhinga

Nyari Mashayamombe – Editor in Chief

In this interview Identities Media (IM) caught up with Dewa Mavhinga (DM) to learn about his life as a human rights lawyer. We are thrilled to bring this story to you. Sit back, Relax and Enjoy!

IM: Tell us about yourself.

DM: My name is Dewa Mavhinga of the royal Moyondizvo Rozvi heritage, a 41 years old human rights lawyer currently working for the global rights watchdog Human Rights Watch as Southern Africa Director, but also co-founder of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute in 2012 and chair of The Living Together Institute.

My background as president of the University of Zimbabwe Students Representative Council (2000-01), a boy-Scout, and a Christian who grew up in abject poverty in rural Zimbabwe, strongly influenced and fueled my passion for social justice, equality, and the pursuit of respect for all human rights.

Amongst my proudest human rights work achievements was my research into the scourge of child marriages in Zimbabwe and exposing horrific human rights abuses in Zimbabwe’s diamond fields through a groundbreaking report entitled “Diamonds in the Rough”: Human Rights Abuses in Zimbabwe’s Marange Diamond Fields. 

IM: What drives the work that you do?

DM: My Christian values tell me that we are all created equal, we all have equal rights, and all deserve to live lives of dignity. That is what drives me to champion human rights which say no matter what your station in life is, you have the same rights as the next person.

We cannot allow those with political or economic power to abuse the rights of the poor, human rights are about placing checks and balances to prevent tyranny and abuse. My maxim is, Laborare est Orare – which means, To Work is To Pray. Through my human rights work, I pray.

IM: What do you see in the near future?

DM: The future for Zimbabwe is bright, beyond the present governance and human rights challenges! The young people will rise above this polarization to embrace fundamental human rights enshrined in the Zimbabwe Constitution, and good governance, and fight corruption and violence, and prevail.

Love will prevail over hate, justice will prevail over injustice, and a time is coming when Zimbabweans will stand united and refuse to be divided based on partisan politics.

The generations that championed violence and hate will fade away, behold the new is coming with new values of meritocracy, sustainable development and guided by principles of equality and non-discrimination.

IM: What are your parting words or advice?

DM: Be a champion of positive values, of human rights, of equality wherever you are, even when you are in the minority do not be discouraged.

In everything you do, be guided by the revolutionary values of love, courage, and kindness. Always choose kindness, for it is the highest form of intelligence and wisdom.

I close with the words of global icon, Nelson Mandela, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”