The performance of national non-state human rights organizations in Tanzania

This study assesses the performance of national non-state human rights organizations in Tanzania so as to discern factors for their success and, or failure. The focus was on both organizational factors and policy, legal and regulatory framework. The study was a multi-case design involving HAKIARDHI, HAKIELIMU, Legal and Environmental Action Team (LEAT), Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP). The stakeholder approach which focuses on the centrality of key and strategic stakeholders was employed during the performance assessment. The study largely used qualitative research methods in data collection and analysis. The study established three key explanatory factors for the performance strides thereof: (i) elaborate articulation of organizational visions, missions and strategies, (ii) presence of basic requisite resources, and (iii) strong networking with like-minded non-state organizations. Also, three key organizational weaknesses were unearthed: (i) overdependence on donor funding, (ii) limited human rights competencies, and (iii) lack of a comprehensive networking strategy with key stakeholders. The policy, legal and regulatory framework is considerably facilitative as a recourse tool and rallying mantra for the pursuit of human rights causes. However, its facilitative scope is limited by lack of: (i) grand national human rights policy (ii) policy or law on human rights defenders, (iii) policy or law on business and human rights, (iv) comprehensive updating of the Bill of Rights of 1984, (v) control inclination of the NGOs Act of 2002 and (vi) other enabling human rights frameworks. The study recommends interventions for addressing both the noted organizational and policy cum legal framework performance deficiencies.