The team began their Policy Advocacy Lab process by naming the problem they would like to address. Participants were to complete the following Google Form and consult their communities to hear more from them.
https://forms.gle/MkJTaDt7NhWCaeFx8
Survey Form Questions
- What is the problem you/your community is facing?
- How are you affected by the problem?
- How is your community affected by the problem?
- What do you think is the cause of that problem?
- What can be done about the problem?
Outcome
| Community Problem | Personal Affects | Community Affects | Cause | Solutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Participation in Political Processes | I am a Youth | No voice of the next generation | Barriers of entry | Amplifying the youth voice |
| Acute Water Shortages | Water has become a commodity not a right, it is expensive and farmers are losing their livestock | Cattle are crossing the border into South Africa in search of the precious liquid, some are lost forever and for those that are recovered the process is very cumbersome as it involve long journeys trekking the animals through dangerous spots | Climate Change coupled with inability of the local authority | Construction of more dams as a long term solution and water ponds in the immediate to medium term |
| Excessive electricity and water shedding. The other is drug abuse by both the youth and adults. | We have to get up at midnight on the day there is water to fill up enough for 6 days as water comes once a week. With electricity it mostly is switched off during the days and returns at 10pm when its bed time. We are mostly forced to iron at night. On drugs they are cheap and available from alcohol, marijuana and others. | The elderly who live alone have to be assisted otherwise everyone is affected in the same manner. The youth are unemployed and are always drunk/high and are rowdy, fight and do not help with anything at home. Some steal to sponsor their habits and some are violent when high/drunk. | Global warming has caused a shift in the rainy season leading to less rains with each passing year. Less water also leads to less electricity generation such as at Hwange power station. Unemployment has seen drastic rises in drug abuse and violence. | Use of solar though it has its own adverse repercussions. In terms of rains besides cloud seeding for crops i am also hoping to learn way forward from those with knowledge. Recreational centre revival as well as employment creation can keep the youth occupied and productive. |
| Local governance, the administration of Hwange is split amongst 4 local authorities ans this creates chaotic administration of the Settlement. Mining company’s rights and human rights clash constantly and often the proponents of mining supercede the will of rhe public due to the colonial agrrement that established the Hwange colliery concession areas. In short the main issue is the exclusion of over 25000 from the social contract that holds Zimbabwe together. Residents cannot enjoy effective public service delivery, residents are not beneficiaries of the fruits of the NDS1, residents are excluded from benefiting from Devolution funds, Zinara funds and they cannot participate in budget making processes, not forgetting the fact that concession residents are buckling under the brunt of the negative externalities of extractivism. | The town is torn amongst 5 local authorities 3 of which are private profit making companies acting as pseduo Local authorities this creates a series of challenges in the administration of the town | The concession residents are excluded from the Social Contract despite being tax paying citizens of Zimbabwe. The challenge is Hwange is a peculiar case where we can find private profit making companies assume quasi Local Authority status despite the fact that is ultra vires to the constitution. The residents of the concession areas are equal citizens of Zimbabwe who contribute to the national purse however due to administrative limitations over 25000 people are excluded from the dictates of Chapter 14, as such residents pay taxes such as Toll gate fees, 2% tax but cannot benefit from public funds disbursed by national government to local authorities. | Colonial legislature that still upholds and enforces colonial agreements. There is a direct clash of interests between citizens rights to public service delivery, property rights of mining companies. The concession areas where established in 1901 by the Hwange Rural District Council & the companies were granted pseudo local authority status however Hwange Local Board was established in 1974 and the delimitation exercise of 2008 created wards inside the concession areas tying the concession to Hwange Local Board despite it remitting funds to Hwange Rural District Council. This means there is a discontinuity in the governance system in Hwange. | In partnership with a colleague we developed a youth petition from November 2023 and we successfully submitted the petition to Parliament through the assistance of our Hon Daniel Molokele. The Petition was successfully received and read by Parliament, we are currently waiting on the Portfolio committee on Local governance to visit Hwange to host a series of public consultations on the matter. We need help in developing infopgrahics to aid the community to better understand the dynamics at play, the infographics will also sensitize and hopefully rally the community’s support ahead of the consultations ensuring maximum community engagement over the course of public consultations |
| My community is facing a lack of inclusive access to education, particularly concerning primary, higher, and tertiary education. Regarding access to primary education, the United Nations reported in January 2024 that 500,000 children in Zimbabwe who are of school-going age are not in school. Additionally, there is a severe challenge in accessing higher and tertiary education in Zimbabwe, an issue that has persisted for nearly two decades. In 2007, scholar P. Kariwo highlighted that approximately 8,000 students annually qualify for university but cannot gain admission. The 2020 World Bank report, *Revitalizing Zimbabwe’s Tertiary Education Sector to Support a Robust Economic Recovery*, reveals that Zimbabwe’s tertiary enrollment rate stands at only 8.5%, significantly behind regional leaders such as Botswana (23.4%), South Africa (20.5%), and Kenya (11.7%). The report also points out that nearly 70% of tertiary education dropouts cited high tuition fees as the primary reason for discontinuation. The 2023 Quarterly Labour Force Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) reported that 49.9% of Zimbabwean youth aged 15-24 and 51% of those aged 15-34 are not engaged in education, training, or employment. The high cost of higher education has created barriers that prevent many youths from accessing education, leading to a sense of hopelessness and increased engagement in petty crime. This issue is reflected in ZIMSTAT’s 2024 first-quarter prison statistics, which show that the largest proportion of new female prisoners are aged 25-29, followed closely by those aged 20-24. Similarly, the majority of new male prisoners are between 20-24 years old, with a significant share also aged 25-29. The data highlights a troubling link between educational exclusion and increased incarceration rates among young Zimbabweans. Addressing these challenges is essential for fostering a more inclusive and productive future for the nation’s youth. | The lack of inclusive access to education for children and youth in Zimbabwe affects my work and finances. For example, if 51% of youth in Zimbabwe aged 15-34 are not engaged in education, training, or employment, I end up shouldering more work within my profession that could have been handled or assisted by these youths. This situation burdens me, as the uneducated and unemployed youth contribute less to the economy. Consequently, my taxes, including income tax and other levies, increase to support their welfare, either directly or indirectly, through social services. However, due to corruption and a lack of transparency in the Zimbabwean government, these funds may not be effectively used. This also means that these youths are not contributing to the economy, which could help reduce the tax burden. Instead, I end up paying more taxes that are intended to assist them, but this support is not always effectively realized. | The lack of inclusive access to primary, higher, and tertiary education affects the two communities I work in differently. For instance, in the Epworth Community, limited access to primary education has led to child prostitution and child labor, both within Epworth and the surrounding areas near the Central Business District. The absence of educational opportunities, especially for girls, has resulted in teenage pregnancies linked to prostitution. Additionally, some young boys are involved in child labor and petty crime. In the Dandamera community in Concession, Mashonaland Central, where, in 2020, it was reported as the province with the highest poverty rate in Zimbabwe at 49.5%, children are forced into working in mines due to poverty and a collapsed social welfare system. This lack of access to education exacerbates the problem, trapping children in cycles of exploitation and poverty. Regarding access to higher and tertiary education, the effects are evident in the rising crime rates among Zimbabwean youth of tertiary education age. The 2023 Quarterly Labour Force Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) reported that 49.9% of Zimbabwean youth aged 15-24 and 51% of those aged 15-34 are not engaged in education, training, or employment. The high cost of higher education has created barriers that prevent many youths from accessing it, leading to a sense of hopelessness and an increase in petty crime. This issue is reflected in ZIMSTAT’s 2024 first-quarter prison statistics, which show that the largest proportion of new female prisoners are aged 25-29, followed closely by those aged 20-24. Similarly, the majority of new male prisoners are between 20-24 years old, with a significant number also aged 25-29. This data highlights a troubling link between educational exclusion and increased incarceration rates among young Zimbabweans. | The lack of accountability and transparency in the use of public funds, which are raised through substantial taxation, is a significant issue in Zimbabwe. These funds are intended to assist Zimbabweans in accessing education. According to Section 75 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, every citizen and permanent resident has the right to further education, which the state must progressively make available and accessible. Despite this, from 2020 to 2024, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education received approximately US$1.1 billion, while the Ministry of Youth Empowerment received US$206 million, based on interbank exchange rates before the introduction of the Zimbabwe Gold currency. Despite these substantial allocations, the accessibility of education has decreased, primarily due to issues with the accountability and transparency in managing these funds. Additionally, corruption has been recorded within these ministries. Furthermore, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare was allocated between USD$700-750 million from 2020 to 2024. Tragically, this has led to the continuous collapse of the social welfare system, which has been partially supported by non-state actors. This situation was exacerbated by a former minister being taken to court for embezzling USD$90 million. The root cause of these problems is the power-politics policies of the State and Government, which prioritize political partisanship and personal political and business interests over the welfare of the Zimbabwean people. | There is a need for inclusive and diverse stakeholder advocacy directed towards the State and Government, particularly concerning the use of public funds and the strengthening and depolarization of the legal and justice system. Citizens should not only be informed about how to advocate for accountability but must also be empowered to take action themselves and to empower others in the process. This involves equipping individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to effectively push for transparency and justice. Furthermore, fostering a culture of active civic engagement and collaboration among stakeholders can enhance the effectiveness of advocacy efforts. By creating platforms for dialogue and cooperation between various community groups, government bodies, and civil society organizations, we can ensure that diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes. This approach will help address systemic issues more comprehensively, promote equitable access to resources, and build a more accountable and just society. Empowering citizens through education and engagement not only strengthens democratic processes but also encourages a more informed and proactive populace, capable of driving meaningful change and holding leaders accountable. |
| Lack of representation | Gender insensitive service provision | Lack of robust SRHR services, water delivery inconsistencies | Political and civic spaces are highly patriarchal making it difficult for women and girls to occupy leadership spaces | Community awareness,empowerment and mentoring of young women and girls |
| Disempowerment | I can hardly share my ideas on national development | The community is always in a vicious circle of poverty and underdeveloped because citizens are not engaged and usually not linked to solution holders. | Exclusion of community members especially the marginalised | Inclusive conversations with the marginalised individuals, groups and communities as well as meaningful engagement with the same. |
| No service delivery within local council | No basic necessities | People have to try take on the job and some people up charge for the service | Lack of accountability | Increase transparency and force people to do the job |
| Lack of safe spaces for engagement on social, economic and political at local level | We are excluded from key decision making processes in our community as young women. Decisions are made for us. Currently we have no water and noone us engaging us as communities. The resulting effect is abuse of women and girls in accessing water, increasing ciost of livinf as we buy water, increased burden of care work | Reduction of young women in decision making means decisions are made for us. We are at risk of cholera and other illnesses, care work has increased and as women carrying buckets of water daily is physically straining putting us as risk of other health conditions | Poor or lack of safe places to engagr with local authorities Unwillingness by our leaders to address the issue of water in our town Polarization where those with power and resources have labelled our community with opposition parties | Honest engagement Transparent meetings between citizens and investors Non partisan drilling of boreholes Open and safe platforms for local government to engage with women Demilitarization of government departments and processes |
| I grew up in a community where adolescent girls and young women are abused sexually, subjected to high risk, unsafe sexual activities and further denied access to their rights. Today, this challenge continues, girls as young as 13 are given to older men as wives and are exposed to motherhood before they are mature enough to deal with the challenges facing this stage of life. As this happens, their access to adequate socio-economic services like employment and health are limited. This has led to alarming rates of teenage pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV. | I witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences of misinformation and inadequate comprehensive sexual education when my sister at 13 showed up 6 months pregnant. These were hard times for the family; financially we did not have the capacity for another baby. To make matters worse she had no idea who the father of her unborn child was. As l interacted with my community l recognised that this was the reality for most adolescent girls. Witnessing this crisis first-hand instilled in me a sense of purpose and desire to make a difference therefore drove me to become a young professional dedicated to advancing comprehensive sexual education. | Teenage pregnancies have lead to high numbers of school dropouts therefore directly affecting young women’s education and literacy levels. This then hinders them to make informed decisions about their Sexual Reproductive Health Rights. A sad reality is that the HIV incidence rates are highly alarming amongst the 12-19 year olds. This reflects to the view that young people are engaging in unsafe sexual activities. | In as much as the secondary level cause of this problem is poverty which leads young women to have multiple concurrent partnerships, low-risk perception, age mixing, incorrect and inconsistent use of condoms and low Prep (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) use. At primary level young people cannot make informed decisions about their sexual health because they have no knowledge of Comprehensive Sexuality Education. This then hinders them from making right decisions thereby increasing STIs and teenage pregnancy. | A community based approach that will effectively address and empower young people to make informed decisions about their sexual health through a comprehensive sexuality education program. Young people also use sex as a form of entertainment thereby educational campaigns with mobile clinics for easy access to sexual health services will also be effective in reducing the problem. Young people also ought to be empowered on life skills and entrepreneurial skills which will help them secure income. |