1,720,990 research outputs found
Debating the inconsistencies between constitutional provisions on decentralisation and citizen participation realities in Zimbabwe
No full textResilience-Based Interventions to Street Childhood Among Street Children in Zimbabwe
No full textThe chapter explores the efficacy of resilience-based intervention strategies that are aimed at tackling street childhood in Zimbabwe. Resilience-based interventions are those interventions that make use of the inherent capacity and agency of the concerned children. While street childhood is a significant challenge in Zimbabwe and Africa, there are little debates on and use of resilience-based interventions for street children. Zimbabwe is devoid of innovative and well-researched interventions to tackle street childhood. In recent years, resilience has been deployed to explain both the aetiology and interventions to street childhood. Indeed, resilience is explained to influence the decision of getting to the streets by the street children as they attempt to handle family adversity at home. In the same vein, interventions that are based on resilience are suggested in the current study. Analysis of secondary data was conducted for the study. The results reveal that the resilience-based interventions may include religious networks, peer support groups, schooling, use of expressive arts, family and parenting clubs for their parents and guardians, contextual psychosocial support and counselling, vocational training, drug rehabilitation and psychosocial support and counselling
Dialogues in climate and environmental research, policy and planning : a special focus on Zimbabwe
No full textClimate change is the topic of the century. It is a subject of discussion by sceptics, heretics and those that have immersed in it as a serious debate for engagement. In this volume, the matter is localised to the plateau bordered by the great rivers of Limpopo to the south and Zambezi to the north. Evidence has it that climate change is inducing immense environmental change hitherto unknown including water stress and droughts, heat waves and flooding. The effects span across all sectors agriculture, forestry, engineering, construction and other socio-economic dimensions of life. When an issue becomes such topical, it becomes political but also courts policy debate. The thrust of this volume is to explore into climate change as an environmental concern begging government attention and requiring prioritisation as a shaper of our future, whether we set to put mitigation or adaptation measures in place, or we choose to do nothing about it, as sceptics would perhaps suggest. The book explores climate change as a theoretical, policy, technical and practical debate as it affects sectors and rural and urban spatialities in Zimbabwe. Contributions explore such themes as regional research, gender, disaster preparedness, policymaking, resilience, governance, urban planning, risk management, environmental law, and the food-water-health-energy-climate change nexus
The Sustainability Ethic in the Management of the Physical, Infrastructural and Natural Resources of Zimbabwe
No full textHumanity has extensively exploited natural and physical resources, since the Industrial Revolution in Europe. A geological era, now called the Anthropocene, has been coined in environmental and developmental circles, to mark the increased domination of humanity on Earth and its resources. Today, the ecological footprint on the fragile planet continues to increase. Mass industrialisation, like what China is doing and pushing for, is one of the drivers for increased urbanisation that results in increased demand for land. It is also the stimulus behind increased deforestation, overfishing, and pollution. As the fragility of the Earth increases, global bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are pushing to reduce the Earths temperature. Human efforts to manage the problem cascade from a global to a regional, to a national, as well as to much localised scales. Missing though are nuanced contributions at national and community levels, which this book is an attempt to bridge. The nagging sense of responsibility is what this book explores under the label of sustainability ethic. As a case study, the book examines the use of sustainability ethic in the management of the physical, infrastructural and natural resources of Zimbabwe. This ethic is built on pillars that include participation of people (households) in their pursuit for sustainable livelihoods, appropriate technology, tools and techniques for environmental protection. It also hinges on stewardship and structures, institutions, policies and processes of governance and sustainability. There are also the aspects of ethics, laws and indigenous technical knowledge for sustainability, capacity building and education plans and programmes for sustainability and population and demographic determinants, processes and outcomes for sustainability. The book is a timely contribution to an urgent global concern and climate change debate
MAINSTREAMING GENDER INTO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: An Examination of the Strategies of Urban Women in the Informal Sector‟s Livelihoods: A Case Study of Harare.
No full textDespite that a number of central government ministries and local authorities and non-state sector agencies have adopted a number of policies and strategies to address urban poverty, women prevalently continue to dominate low-return development activities. In this regard, there is the undermining of women potential as they undertake low-profile activities like selling of tomatoes. From evidence available and experience, it can be argued that the low-income-earning males, compared to their female counterparts, have 'graduated' into full-scale champions in various sectors – micro-scale finance (chimbadzo), construction, manufacturing, trade, transport, to mention but a few. As a result of a vicious cycle of poverty wreaking havoc and ever menacingly unwinding itself in the economy, women engaging in least-rewarding activities, a downright deterioration of the standards of citizens, more profound for the poor urban household will but perpetuate the urban poverty and deep marginalization of women. This study found out that policy-makers and implementers need be informed on practical and feasible ways of alleviating the problem of urban women engaging in unproductive or least-rewarding activities (where resources in terms of both inputs and outputs are limiting) will be found. An examination of the policies in force has been made in order to evaluate their effectives in addressing the gap in urban women livelihood activities and engagements. The case study of Harare hereby used reveals that it is still along way to real eventual empowerment of this disadvantaged group. Three are many factors inhibiting the smooth flow of the empowerment drive in Harare in particular and Zimbabwe at large
Housing and Stewardship in Peri-urban Settlements in Zimbabwe: A case study of Ruwa and Epworth
No full textThis thesis examines the housing-stewardship nexus in peri-urban areas based on the case of Ruwa and Epworth, satellite settlements of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. The study seeks to establish the factors that shape peri-urban environments into better managed and sustainable areas of which housing development is perceived as the major activity taking place in this zone. Using the Stewardship Theory or Partnership Model as the main framework and point of departure, five basic approaches namely biblical-religious, business, environmental, vernacular, place-based community/grassroots approaches to the study are noted. The ‘mixed-methods’ approach is used to analyse sustainability issues forming the crux of stewardship. Predominantly, the qualitative-interpretative paradigm informs the study of which the case and narrative study (case narratology) are the core research design approaches. Specific data collection tools have included extensive documentary analysis (newspaper articles, minutes, policy and legislative documents); household survey (involving 291 randomly selected households, 137 from Ruwa and 154 from Epworth, in which a semi-structured questionnaire has been used). observations (aided with photography) on operations and housing and environmental arterfacts were also carried out coupled with key informant interviews with purposefully selected officials (from Ruwa Town Council, Epworth Local Board, the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, Environmental Management Agency and the Department of Physical Planning). Quantitative data has been analysed using SPSS Version 18. On the other hand, qualitative data analysis used content, discourse, statement and textual analysis. From the study, criteria for classifying actors are central in achieving meaningful stewardship of place and creation of sustainable peri-urban environments. Often there are conflicts among the actors given their contrasting priorities and interests. History of the place, income levels among the peri-urban dwellers, lack of defined and clear-cut policies and commitment by institutions towards the creation of sustainable settlements are the factors perpetuating these conflicts. The study recommends application and use of technologies for remote sensing (Geographic Information Systems included) to help in the monitoring of peri-urban areas development, achieving evidence-based policy which is an effective tool for stewardship, co-creating an institution whose focus is urban regional development and using scenario and collaborative planning methodologies to avoid chaotic peri-urbanisation
STRUCTURES WITHOUT PROCESSES: AN ANALYSIS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL DEFICIENCIES IN COMMUNITY BASED FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN SEKE RESETTLEMENT SCHEME
No full textCommunity based natural resource management programmes had been adopted by many countries as a management approach that can bring better results in the sustainable resource management. This management regime represents a shift from centralised approaches which were previously employed. Zimbabwe is among the pioneers of this programme in the sub-Saharan Africa region. A lot has been done in an attempt to bring resource governance to the people. One of the projects that had registered remarkable success is the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE). Many Rural District Councils are engaged in these projects; and nearly every council is running a CAMPFIRE project. However the same cannot be said of other conservation projects in rural and resettlement areas in the country. There is little success registered especially in the conservation of forest resources. Structures for community based natural resource management (CBNRM) are in place but there are defunct, which explains the uninvited resource degradation in rural areas. This paper seeks to delineate the factors underlying the structures' failure in delivery of effective democratisation of resource governance
Infusing disaster resilience thinking and practice into rural settlement planning, development and management in Zimbabwe
No full textRural areas in Zimbabwe, as elsewhere, are undergoing various transformations, some induced by natural processes and others by human interventions. One has to acknowledge the increase anthropogenic actions on the Earth since the 1950 that have partly triggered the challenges facing the planet. Infusion implies a deliberate mainstreaming with debates, practices and policies of an agenda. In this case, in education, health, social policy directions and related matters, resilience thinking needs to be the bottom line of discussion. That away positive results are expected. This thesis contributes to the debate on planning, development and management of rural settlements under the impact of environmental disasters largely induced by climate change. The thesis suggests measures towards the infusion of disaster resilience thinking and practice in rural settlement planning. Publications in the study are informed by various methodologies, including literature review, archival, fieldwork, interviewing and surveys. The thesis is structured into four major sections. The first section, Section A covers Preliminary Pages of the thesis that include Dedication, Preface, Executive Summary and Abstracts of Publications and Acknowledgements. The second section, Section B is Introduction, Literature and the Study Local Context and covers three chapters, Chapter 1, the Introduction, Chapter 2, Natural Disaster Resilience, Rural Settlement Planning and Housing: A Literature Review and Chapter 3, Understanding Zimbabwe: Disaster Resilience Thinking and Practice and Rural Settlement Planning, Development and Management. The third section, Section C (see also Appendix 1) contains the articles and publications. Under this section, three categories of publications are presented, A, B and C. A are those papers that speak to the situation analysis regarding the incident of climate change and environmental challenges as they reflect in the rural areas. B speaks to those papers that try to speak to measurement and indicators of climate resilience plus global and regional experiences in the same. The C category speaks to possible options and initiatives that can be done for rural disaster resilience practice enhancement. The last section is Section D entitled Study Synthesis, Conclusion and Options. Quite apparent in the foregoing discussion and thesis is the acknowledgement that disasters and risks with the paraphernalia of their impacts are growing to be part and parcel of life at a global scale. As such resilience thinking is the way to. The buffeting shall continue but systems have to be proofed and designed that the readiness is always in place. Preparing for disasters and risks begins by the general awareness, followed by a deliberate step in putting ‘cushions’ in place. A collaborative approach is required. In the thesis, the study has demonstrated that the players are many and includes individuals, organised (and unorganised communities, divided by aspects of gender, age, professionalism, spatial boundaries, etc, government (local and central) and non-state actors (community – based organisation and corporates). There have different capacities and contributions to the debate and practice of resilience, mitigation and adaption. These players should have a principal agenda of tapping on the diversity to bring solution to different scales of intervention – site, community, district or precinct, regional, national or even international. They have to live above besetting politics towards creating consensus for wise action. The study proposes an 8Ss Model for inculcating resilience thinking and practice in rural settlement planning and management as a strategy for managing disaster risk
Decentralized domestic wastewater systems in developing countries: The case study of Harare (Zimbabwe)
No full textUntil recently there has been little, if any,
concern over revamping let alone improving wastewater
management system in Zimbabwe’s urban areas given the
dominance and institutionalised water-borne system. Yet,
the current constraints in this system and the immensity of
urbanisation in the country begs and compels planners,
engineers and systems thinkers to rethink what best can
work as a sustainable wastewater system. With particular
reference to the ever-expanding Harare metropolitan
region, this article provides an evaluative analysis on the
potentiality, risks and strategies that can be adopted by
Harare and its satellites in addressing the problems of the
conventional wastewater management system. The suggested
framework of operation is a decentralised domestic
wastewater collection and treatment system which however
has its own multifarious risks. Using systems dynamics
conceptualisation of the potentiality, opportunities, risks
and strategies, the paper seeks to model the path and outcomes
of this decentralised domestic wastewater collection
and treatment system and also suggests a number of policy
measures and strategies that the city of Harare and its
satellites can adopt
POPULATION GROWTH AND RAPID URBANIZATION IN AFRICA:IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
No full textThe realties of rapid urbanization and population growth in Africa are objectively patent
with the realities of diversity of challenges, constraints and threats to service delivery in
urban centres. Urban centres are attraction centres for rural population and, through
multiplier effects, population sizes continue to grow concomitant with the demand for the
services (hospitals, schools, industrial and commercial zones, security, etc.). This paper
will explore the historical and contemporary challenges of population growth by way of
looking at case studies of Nigeria (Lagos), South Africa (Johannesburg), Zimbabwe
(Harare), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa), Kenya (Nairobi), Egypt (Cairo) and Rwanda (Kigali).
These countries give a diversity of experiences when put together given the differences in
institutions and cultures, historical backgrounds, political economy and other structural
proclivities. Such an analysis helps in the formulation of the ‘appropriate’ nomenclature
and taxonomy of the subject of urbanisation (and ruralisation, as it were). Socially, most
urban centres in Africa have gone through metamorphoses and transitions from white
domination to black majority rule. The advent of political independence has opened the
gates for the former ruralites resulting in novel challenges which had hitherto been
unforeseen (particularly, the increased demand for housing, which, in its own right is
indivisible with other socio-economic facets of urban centres). Economically, this
transition has heralded calls for black economic empowerment or indigenisation
programmes which have beckoned for more urban space being allocated for enterprise.
Space allocation for any land-use calls for installation of the supporting infrastructure
(roads, water utilities, electricity, buildings and/or shelter, etc). The paper maps out the
nesting effect of these challenges in a bid to overcome them so as to produce viable urban
economies for the 21st Century Africa, in which amenity, harmony and sustainability are
the chief objects. Urban development policy is recommended is the prime solution to
attaining the three mentioned objects. This is founded on the notions of balancing
between and within settlements (rural and urban) in an economy, urban modelling and
stewardship
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