Browsing by Author "Kuzhanga, Terry Tafadzwa."

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Intersections of gender and food insecurity in a political and economic crisis environment: a reflection from some NGOs and civil society organisations in Zimbabwe.
Kuzhanga, Terry Tafadzwa.; Naidu, Uma Maheshvari.
In the past few decades, the struggle to safeguard the availability, accessibility, stability and utilisation of food has captured the world’s attention. Despite mobilisation efforts by numerous interested global institutions, including governments, food security concerns remain a significant challenge confronting many populations who suffer continued food shortages and severe hunger. Notably, past and present food scarcity situations have either resulted in or instigated, public discontent. Moreover, political and economic crises have taken centre stage in world affairs and both phenomena have adversely impacted the livelihoods of the general populace in Africa, with women and children most affected. This study is grounded in establishing how food insecurity intersects with political and economic crises in Zimbabwe as well as the gender implications thereof. A qualitative approach was used, making use of focus group discussions and interviews as tools for data collection. Working with theoretical lenses that include the theory of protracted social conflict, the theory of intersectionality, theory of justice, and systems theory, the research explores men and women of Zimbabwe’s life experiences and struggle to ensure food security. Results from this study reveal that most women, as compared to men, continue to experience discrimination with regard to land ownership. The research findings also reveal that although women play an active role in food production, they remain in the majority of those who cannot access enough food for their dietary needs. The study concludes that there is a need for a paradigm shift in conceptualising what ought to be addressed so as to ensure food security and avoid possible further future violent conflict. This entails the need for sustainable strategies more resilient to future changes in the political and economic domain.
Non-governmental organisations' role in conflict transformation: the case of Zimbabwe since the inception of the Government of National Unity, 2009-2012.
(2013) Kuzhanga, Terry Tafadzwa.; Tschudin, Alain Jean-Paul Charles.
Zimbabwe as a country has successively been faced with a number of challenges that others argue to be a result of either poor governance or colonial imbalances. However, despite the contestation with regards to the cause of the crisis situation, several armed struggles continued to wreck the economy. This continuous collapse of the economy resulted in the ruling government slowly becoming unpopular to the people, thus it paved way to the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); an opposition political party to the dominant Zimbabwe African National Union –Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). The formation of the opposition party then triggered tensions, which later saw the March 2008 elections’ tension calling for a power-sharing agreement. Therefore, it is against this background that the research critically examines the role played by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in conflict transformation since the formation of the unity government. In addition, the study is also conducted against the background of scholarly interest to understand the relationship between CSOs and the Zimbabwean government, during the period that marked the introduction of the inclusive government 2009-2012. The study will also look at the key competencies of CSOs, which are complimentary to the process of conflict transformation and further outline the need for active participation from CSOs and other stakeholders to the process. In addition, it is worth noting that while CSOs make numerous attempts to vigorously participate in conflict transformation, factors such as restrictive government policies, lack of funding and government interference continually undermines their contribution. Autonomous and sustainable operations of CSOs in such limiting environments is virtually impossible hence, there is need for drastic measures to be employed in order to address this contradiction.