Josephine is social justice and movement lawyer who is passionate about business and human rights, climate justice, environmental child rights, and sustainable and equitable natural resource governance. She is currently the Program Lead for Responsible Investments and Business at the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA). In this role, she coordinates initiatives contributing towards a more inclusive, just, accountable, and equitable business within Zimbabwe’s and Africa’s natural resources sector.
For the past four years, Josephine has been involved in corporate accountability initiatives including but not limited to capacity strengthening of mining-affected communities; working with communities to access remedy using judicial and non-judicial mechanisms; engagements and partnerships with national human rights institutions; conducting evidence-based research on the human rights conduct of businesses operating in Zimbabwe's mining sector; and participating in regional and international processes on business and human rights. Examples of her research can be accessed here.
As part of her work, Josephine has also contributed to the growth of a movement of young people who are conscious of critical corporate accountability issues within Zimbabwe’s natural resources sector, by establishing the ZELA Youth Network. The network has been involved in youth-led campaigns such as #MyPlanetMyRights and ‘Youth Initiative for Corporate Accountability’ (YICA campaign).
Josephine holds a Bachelor of Laws Honours Degree and an LLM in Land and Natural Resources from the University of Zimbabwe.
I am inspired by the hope of a more equal and improved world. In this world, the burden of environmental harm is not unfairly shouldered by those least responsible for the damage. It is also a world where the discovery of minerals does not lead to human rights violations, and corporations are held responsible for the negative consequences of their actions. This hope, coupled with the collaborative efforts of communities, serves as a driving force that motivates me to keep pushing forward.Josephine Chiname