Understanding the Zimbabwe situation through the human security lens 2005-2009

Abstract

The human security concept emerged as a result of contemporary global developments that triggered the manifestation of risks threatening the safety, survival and welfare of human beings. As such, there was need to widen the scope and meaning of security by shifting attention and resources away from state protection concerns towards other emerging areas important to human survival and well being. Thus document review research was conducted to investigate whether the UNDP crafted human security concept is a plausible and feasible framework that can be utilised to better understand the situation in Zimbabwe. It uses this human security framework to identify the numerous threats to day to day survival for people, as well as evaluate inherent weaknesses of the human rights norms in promoting human security in Zimbabwe between the years 2005 – 2009. The study identifies economic, food, health and political security problems for people living in Zimbabwe. It also assesses the impact of these problems on the wellbeing and daily survival of these citizens. In addition, the study highlights that the denial of basic human rights has also increasingly undermined the security of individuals in the country. Hence, these problems have militated against the majority of people‟s daily survival, progression and meaningful participation in the governance of the country.