There are many problems we face for our survival, but these also provide an opportunity to bring everyone together in solving issue
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
In just a few years Zimbabwe has gone from being one of the most developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa to one of the least developed. While the 2009 unity government has succeeded in halting economic decline and providing temporary relief from the political crisis, Zanu-PF continues to control most of the levers of power and violence and the future remains uncertain.
This case study examines the protection implications of the multiple crises that Zimbabwe has faced in recent years: economic, social and political. It looks at how communities perceive the threats they face, and the steps they take to protect themselves from these threats.
Key Findings
- Individuals and communities have developed sophisticated strategies for responding to the various threats that they face.
- Community response strategies vary in levels of effectiveness as there is often no good solution to respond to grave threats. In some cases, the strategies themselves lead to other problems, 'secondary threats' and impossible trade-offs.
- External protection interventions have a relatively small impact compared with actions taken by individuals and communities themselves.