The inadequate budget is a source of considerable concern for the Human Rights Commission. Since its inception, the government has not provided the Human Rights Commission with an adequate budget or facilities required to undertake the mandated tasks.

The commission receives an allocation in the government budget like all other regular government departments. However, that does not always mean that they actually receive the amount in cash which was budgeted. On occasion they have received less, and at other times more. In 1997, the Human Rights Commission received ZK 200,000,000 [approximately U.S.$72,000] to meet running costs. In 1999, ZK 781,000,000 [approximately U.S.$282,000] was allocated and given, and additionally the government purchased four vehicles for the commission. The Norwegian government provided additional funds for start up costs. From these funds, the commissioners were able to purchase some of the six four-wheel drive vehicles (one for each commissioner) and pay the costs of maintaining two office and accommodation rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel.

The commission also receives international support, which tends to be on a project by project basis. International bilateral donors at first were quick to provide financial pledges of support for meetings in Europe, the U.S., and South Africa. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights sent Special Advisor Brian Burdekin to Zambia in May 1998 to provide technical advice to the commission on the establishment of a national human rights institution. The Norwegian government funded the refurbishment of the commission's new offices. After summarily withdrawing the government premise that it had promised to the Human Rights Commission, the government later provided inadequate accommodations. It was only because the Norwegian government provided funding for the offices, that the Commission has a working office.

While all this international assistance is welcome, however, as has been the pattern elsewhere, donor support for the commission's work has waned somewhat after the initial year. This could be attributed both to the standard donor inattention with regard to the long-term growth of these commissions as well as to specific reservations about the dynamism of the Zambian Human Rights Commission.