Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It is known for its dramatic landscape, nature reserves and safari parks.

Having emerged from colonial rule in 1980, Zimbabwe experienced economic growth throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s. However, mismanagement over three decades has led to a significant reversal of those trends. Once the bread basket of the region, Zimbabwe now experiences high rates of poverty, inequality and food insecurity.

The country’s socio-economic decline has led to reduced investments in essential services such as health and education. It has also been accompanied by high inflation, currency instability and persistent vulnerability to diseases such as cholera, malaria and HIV/AIDS. The impacts of climate change are already visible in Zimbabwe, most notably through severe and more frequent droughts, which contribute to land degradation and loss of biodiversity.

Zimbabwe’s economy continues to be under pressure, largely due to on-going debt arrears and currency instability. Economic development is low and people, particularly young people lack job opportunities. This trend contributes to persistent emigration, including of skilled workers.

Zimbabwean diaspora is estimated at over 3 million, mainly in South Africa, UK, USA, Canada and Australia, with an estimated over 10,000 living in Ireland. There is an estimated over a thousand Irish citizens and people of Irish descent living in Zimbabwe. The country suffers from repeated food crises, while essential services such as health, education, water and sanitation are lacking. Electricity supply continues to face severe disruptions. As a result of these varied and interlinking factors, Zimbabwe is regarded as a fragile country.

Opportunities for growth

Zimbabwe has huge potential to grow its economy and enhance the prosperity of its people. It has a high volume and diversity of critical mineral reserves, including lithium, platinum, chromium, gold and diamonds and a well-educated workforce. Agriculture continues to be a significant contributor to the economy, with a consistent demand for products such as tobacco and a growing demand for products such as blueberries, mainly for export. The tourism sector also presents investment opportunities.

Ireland works with a variety of international partners to support people in Zimbabwe to realise their potential.

Ireland is accredited to Zimbabwe through its Embassy to South Africa, based in Pretoria. Our development programme for Zimbabwe is managed from there.

Ireland has provided development cooperation to Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. Ireland's priorities in Zimbabwe are in the areas of health, gender equality, governance and human rights, and climate resilience. Our partnerships work across several of Zimbabwe’s 10 Provinces.

Ireland’s work in Zimbabwe covers four main policy areas:

• Health
• Gender equality
• Strengthening governance and promoting human rights
• Climate action

Ireland’s health programme in Zimbabwe focuses on addressing the needs of women, particularly pregnant and lactating mothers, and children – seeking to reduce maternal mortality and neonatal mortality. It also supports young and adolescent girls and boys, aiming to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services. Health care workers in Zimbabwe are also targeted through tailored training and the provision of equipment.

Ireland works in Zimbabwe to promote women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women. We work with international organisations and civil society in the following areas:

• Strengthening the promotion and integration of gender equality at an institutional level, including the domestication of international agreements such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security
• Supporting women’s political participation and building the capacity of aspiring political actors, including at community and district level; and supporting the participation of women and youth in decision-making processes
• Providing vocational training and skills development to women and young people as a means to improve their employability and economic opportunities
• Improving policies to address gender-based violence and sexual harassment in key sectors of Zimbabwe’s economy – including the media.

Ireland works with organisations and communities to support the increased involvement of women and youth in politics and in decision-making.

Irish funding also helps civil society organisations to promote and defend human rights. This work includes access to legal, medical and psycho-social support services to victims of human rights abuses, and the documentation and dissemination of human rights violations in communities.

Ireland is working in collaboration with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme to build climate resilience in vulnerable rural communities.

This area of work has become increasingly important due the growing intensity of climate impacts in Zimbabwe, most recently shown by El Niño drought in 2023-2024. The multi-year programme is focused on sustainable natural resources management, improved food and nutrition security and reducing the impact of natural disasters, specifically targeting the most at-risk communities in Zimbabwe.

How Florence achieved her dream to become a teacher thanks to support from Ireland

Florence Maoko (36) is a mother of three who lives in Mutasa district in Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. She is married into a traditional family that does not value the empowerment of women.

In spite of this, Florence succeeded in enrolling at a local teachers’ college, and her husband paid all her tuition fees. Florence graduated in 2018, but the family influenced her husband not to allow her to get a job.

Florence recalls the despair she felt at the time, and her anxieties about the future.

“I felt like my world had crumbled," she said. "I had thought that the diploma would help me and my family to escape the poverty that was always our guest, year in, year out. I tried to engage my husband, reasoning with him on our situation, but all was in vain. It was going to be a choice between going to work and walking out of my marriage.”

A solution came thanks to Safe Space, a female-run NGO supported by Ireland. It helps to create safe spaces for women and members of the LGBTI+ community in public, in their homes and in their minds.

Through Safe Space, Florence learned how some negative cultural norms are hindering women’s development and their rights. She and her husband had counselling with the Safe Space team after which Florence’s husband agreed she could register as a teacher.

Florence began her first teaching role in 2022. She is convinced she would not have achieved her dreams without the help she received from Safe Space.

“If it were not for this intervention, I don’t think my husband would have given me his blessing to go and look for a job”.