Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2016 - 2021
Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2016 - 2021
Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2016 - 2021
Development
Cooperation
Strategy
2016 -2021
i
USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
ii
USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
iii
USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Executive Summary
Zimbabwe was once one of Southern Africa’s most vibrant, productive, and resilient countries. However,
for close to two decades, the nation has faced a series of political and economic shocks, the roots of which
come from decades of poor governance and deeply entrenched and growing levels of corruption.
Zimbabwe has an estimated population of 14.2 million people, of whom about 10 million live in rural
areas. Life for the average Zimbabwean is increasingly difficult, with 63 percent of all households living
in poverty and 16 percent in extreme poverty. At the root of this poverty is a lack of economic
opportunities caused by a failure to adhere to rule of law, recognize property rights, and create a secure
environment for domestic and foreign investment. Exacerbating Zimbabwe’s economic woes is the
growing impact of climate change 1. The collapse of the commercial agricultural sector resulted in an
over-reliance on small scale, rain-fed agriculture. As Zimbabwe’s climate becomes more erratic, farmers
have found it more difficult to produce sufficient yields, greatly contributing to the country’s recurrent
food insecurity.
Not surprisingly, Zimbabwe’s Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.509 – a score that places the
country in the low human development category. The country’s high mortality and morbidity rates are a
result of an under-resourced health delivery system, which is overstretched by high rates of HIV,
tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and childhood illnesses. More than a decade of worsening economic
conditions and rising costs have eroded a once vibrant health system, which now functions largely due to
donor assistance. That said, the health sector has produced notable results, such as an HIV prevalence
rate that declined from 20 percent in 2006 to a current rate of 15 percent.
Zimbabwe’s future remains uncertain as President Robert Mugabe, now 92 years old, continues as one of
Africa’s longest serving dictators. There are no clear plans for succession, which is increasingly creating
political factionalism and in-fighting within the ruling party, as well as an an unpredictable and fluid
environment. To remain flexible in such a fluid operating environment, the Mission has developed a
scenario-based strategy to position itself to respond to emerging opportunities.
Goal
There are opportunities for progress, despite the challenging environment. It is these opportunities that
produced USAID’s current successes, which include reductions in HIV prevalence and stunting rates, and
more resilient communities. The Mission will continue to capitalize on these openings in the quest to
achieve the goal, which is aspirational in nature – an aspiration shared by those within the Mission and
the Country Team. USAID/Zimbabwe’s goal is:
This is a 15-20 year goal. The interests of the U.S. Government are ambitious, and it requires a long-term
vision for Zimbabwe to transition to a more open and accountable country, where citizens actively engage
with their leaders, live healthier lives, and are more economically secure.
In crafting this statement, Mission staff agreed that the goal must address the need to create opportunities
for citizens to become drivers of social, political, and economic change that is characterized by good
governance. In acknowledging the principal root causes of Zimbabwe’s current social, political, and
economic situation, assessing USAID’s comparative advantage, and recognizing the role of other donors,
1
See Annex 4: Climate Change Considerations
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
the Mission selected three development objectives to achieve this goal. These development objectives
form the basis for the CDCS results framework and include the following crosscutting issues: gender,
youth, local champions, and good governance.
DO 3: Improved
DO 1: Expanded inclusive DO 2: Increased number of
accountable, democratic
and sustainable economic Zimbabweans live longer and
governance that serves an
opportunities healthier lives
engaged citizenry
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
the economy has shifted from formal to informal, with 94.5 percent of employment reported as informal
as of 2014. 5
This disproportionally affects women in what is referred to as the feminization of poverty. 6 As women
and men compete for fewer jobs, the gender-based differentials that permeate all aspects of society
become more apparent; men move into sectors traditionally dominated by women, decreasing their
earning opportunities. Even in sectors where women dominate, such as agriculture where they make up
more than 65 percent of total employment, women often do not control economic resources having to
defer to male family members to conduct transactions such as selling livestock.
It is uncertain whether the arrears clearance will come to fruition, and even if Zimbabwe manages to
clears its arrears to the IFIs, there are significant hurdles to new borrowing. The potentially positive
aspect to this process is that with limited options it could force the GOZ to engage in meaningful
economic and governance reforms.
Climate Change
Exacerbating Zimbabwe’s economic woes is the growing impact of climate change. The collapse of the
commercial agricultural sector resulted in an over-reliance on small scale, rain-fed agriculture by farmers
who often are not trained and frequently lack inputs. As Zimbabwe’s climate has become more erratic,
farmers have found it harder to produce sufficient yields to meet demand. This has greatly contributed to
the recurrent food insecurity as small-scale farmers, many of whom do not have access to irrigation,
provide approximately 70 percent of Zimbabwe’s staple crops. 8 With a pattern of crop failures happening
in every three out of five years, food and nutrition security remains a persistent problem. 9 Furthermore,
climate change is likely to alter the patterns of water- and vector-borne diseases such as malaria, increase
conflict around water access, as well as reduce access to clean water. The concern is that these new
stresses will further erode coping strategies and pose additional threats to health and livelihoods.
In addition to food security, the tourism and industrial sectors are also experiencing the repercussions of
climate change. As water scarcity affects livestock and humans, it also affects wildlife. This does not
bode well for a sector dependent on a vibrant wildlife population. Already burdened by erratic utilities,
industries also face climate-related challenges in the form of increased power shortages due to lower
5
Zimstat Labour Force Survey, 2014.
6
Beyond Income: Gendered Well-being and Poverty in Zimbabwe,
http://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/ZIM_resources_beyondincome.pdf
7
Munyati, Chido, Why US Reengagement Is Critical to Zimbabwe’s Debt Arrears Clearance Strategy,
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/03/04/why-us-reengagement-is-critical-to-zimbabwes-debt-arrears-
clearance-strategy/
8
IRIN, Zimbabwe short-changing it’s small-scale farmers, http://www.irinnews.org/report/99548/zimbabwe-short-
changing-its-small-scale-farmers
9
FEWSNET, Zimbabwe Food Security Brief, 2014
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
water levels in hydroelectric dams. As the country entered the second year of the 2014-2016 drought,
estimates were that the Kariba dam, which both Zimbabwe and Zambia rely heavily on for electricity,
only had sufficient water to supply electricity for six months.10 Recent rains may provide some relief, but
these concerns are indicative of Zimbabwe’s vulnerability to climate change. (Please see Annex 4 for
more details on climate change impacts on Zimbabwe.)
Human Development
Zimbabwe has amongst the highest HIV prevalence and maternal mortality rates in the region. Not
surprisingly, Zimbabwe’s Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.509 – a score that places the
country in the low human development category. The country’s high mortality and morbidity rates are a
result of an under-resourced health delivery system, which is overstretched by the high burden of HIV,
tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and maternal and childhood illnesses. A decade of worsening economic
conditions and rising costs have eroded a once vibrant health system, which now functions largely due to
donor assistance.
The health sector has produced notable results in the areas of HIV; TB; malaria; maternal, newborn and
child health (MNCH); and family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH). The national response to the
HIV epidemic has scaled up prevention and treatment interventions, resulting in an estimated 290,000
lives saved through antiretroviral treatment (ART) since 2009 and a 50 percent decrease in the number of
new HIV infections over the last ten years.11 The TB treatment success rate increased from 67 percent in
2006 to 80 percent in 2015, which meets the National TB program objective and World Health
Organization recommendations. 12 Malaria incidence declined by 79 percent, from 136/1,000 in 2000 to
29/1,000 in 2015. 13 Although the maternal mortality rate declined significantly from 960 deaths per
100,000 live births in 2010/11 to 614 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2014, 14 this rate remains too high
by regional standards. The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 60 percent in 2006 15 to 67
percent in 2014. 16 These are noteworthy gains given the general economic decline and political context
and speak to the technical and financial support provided by the donor community. Sustaining these
gains will require both continued donor engagement and collaboration with the Ministry of Health and
Child Care (MOHCC) to improve the systems and implementation of policies that surround the delivery
of health services.
Opportunities
While the current environment is difficult and unpredictable, there are windows of opportunity in which
USAID can continue to affect positive change. The Mission currently sees the following opportunities on
which to build for continued success:
• Progress on the key health indicators demonstrates potential for further gains while reducing the
influence that high disease burdens have on the economy;
• Mid-level capacity and commitment within selected GOZ ministries can present windows for
positive dialogue on key issues that advance USAID s’ work in Zimbabwe;
10
Reuters, Zimbabwe's main hydro power dam running out of water after drought,
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-drought-powerstation-idUSKCN0VS1GM
11
MOHCC, National HIV/AIDS Estimates, 2015
12
World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.TBS.CURE.ZS?page=1
13
Zimbabwe Malaria Program Performance Review, March 2016.
14
Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 2010-11.
15
Ibid.
16
Zimstat Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
• Implementation of the 2013 Constitution, which establishes a progressive framework for rights
and freedoms can be an avenue for advancing democratic reforms and protecting human rights;
• An active and resilient civil society, which is interested in building skills, knowledge, and
experience;
• Openings within the GOZ for policy reform due to economic stagnation; and
• Well-educated adult population presents a wide base of human capital for the country’s
development.
The other window of opportunity is the Zimbabwean people. Zimbabweans have demonstrated a
remarkable resilience and willingness to work hard despite any circumstances, and many remain
committed to building a democratic and prosperous nation. Should the political and economic picture
improve, they certainly still have the human capacity and motivation to reverse the decades of decline.
Certainly, the progress that occurred during the GNU is indicative of the country’s potential. It is because
of this potential that USAID adopted an aspirational 15 to 20 year goal to assist with the transition to a
more open and accountable country, where citizens actively engage with their leaders, live healthier lives,
and are more economically secure.
This significantly overlaps with the GOZ’s SDG priorities, although there is not complete alignment. The
GOZ has chosen to focus on the following that support several SDGs:
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Goal
USAID/Zimbabwe, through a collaborative, Mission-wide process, developed a goal that represents a
vision for Zimbabwe in 15 to 20 years. This vision is aspirational in nature – an aspiration shared by
those within the Mission and the Country Team. USAID/Zimbabwe’s goal is:
In constructing this statement, Mission staff agreed that the goal must address the need to create
opportunities for citizens to become drivers of social, political, and economic, change that is characterized
by good governance.
In acknowledging the principal root causes of Zimbabwe’s current social, political, and economic
situation, assessing USAID’s comparative advantage in providing development assistance, and
recognizing the role of other donors, the Mission selected three development objectives to help achieve
this goal. These development objectives form the basis for the CDCS results framework and include the
following crosscutting issues: gender, youth, local champions, and good governance.
DO 3: Improved
DO 1: Expanded inclusive DO 2: Increased number of
accountable, democratic
and sustainable economic Zimbabweans live longer and
governance that serves an
opportunities healthier lives
engaged citizenry
Crosscutting Themes
Accountability and Governance
Increasing accountability and improving governance, both political and economic, is at the foundation of
achieving progress in Zimbabwe.
The challenge is how to foster processes that allows citizens to find voice and agency to demand that
public servants and elected officials become accountable and able to respond. Championing local leaders
and agents of change, the Mission is already seeing cases where women assume the leadership of the
community-led construction of a dam, for example. This is both breaking gender norms as well as
increasing opportunities for effective collaboration between communities and local leaders. As the
Mission moves forward with the new strategy, addressing accountability and governance will continue as
a crosscutting theme and an essential component of project design.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Gender
Gender dynamics represent critical concerns and important opportunities in Zimbabwe. The 2015
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Gender Protocol declared the low political,
economic, and social status of the majority of women in Zimbabwe as one of the country’s major post-
2015 development challenges. Women experience higher levels of food insecurity, lower participation as
political candidates, greater barriers to accessing credit and finance, and higher HIV prevalence rates than
men do. 17 Zimbabwean women are hardworking, but time and resource poor. Marrying young, youthful
childbearing, and the increased likelihood of being relegated to the informal sector are just some of the
reasons Zimbabwe ranks 110 out of 149 on the Gender Inequality Index. 18, 19
Additionally, gender-based violence (GBV) permeates society; approximately three women in 10 have
been victims of physical violence, with family relatives as the main perpetrators. According to the
Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), one in four females report having had forced sex before the age
of 15 years. As with physical violence, almost all assaults were by partners. 20 The implications for future
physical, reproductive, and emotional problems are self-evident. The growing numbers of child
marriages and the related health issues are of deep concern and signal a need for greater knowledge of the
constitutional guarantees of the girl child. 21, 22
Youth
Youth now comprise 61 percent of Zimbabwe’s population, while 41 percent are under the age of
fifteen. 23 Referred to as “born frees” – those born after Zimbabwean independence in 1980, today’s
youth face dim prospects as they grow up in households with staggering rates of poverty and declining
access to quality health and education services, clean water and proper sanitation, and other basic services
necessary to produce productive citizens.
This youth bulge can be a potential power for growth. However, given the current levels of despair, they
could easily become participants in unrest or mass action as has happened in the past. The challenge is
how to harness this latent energy, when youth face a multitude of cultural barriers, including entrenched
patriarchal and hierarchical structures and norms that prevent them from voicing their views.
Zimbabwe’s youth are in ‘waithood’ – a status of waiting to be adults, a status that is now prolonged due
17
Zimbabwe DHS, 2010-2011. For example, young women (15-24 years) are nearly twice as likely to be HIV
positive as men are.
18
ZIMSTAT and UNICEF, “Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014 Key Findings,” 24% of women ages 15-19 are
married or in union.
19
For 2013, Zimbabwe’s score is 0.516. This index is a composite measure, which captures the loss of achievement
within a country due to gender inequality. It uses three dimensions reproductive health, empowerment, and labor
market participation.
20
92%
21
Child marriage almost exclusively affects the girl child.
22
Young girls are more vulnerable to infection, including HIV; lack power to negotiate safe sex; are at higher risks
of maternal mortality and morbidity; and miscarriage or other delivery complications. Other issues that are
devastating to their well-being include loss of educational opportunity; treatment as domestic servants; and total
dependency on the ‘husband’ and “often suffering repeated rape, physical and psychological abuse with no recourse.
They have weak psycho-social support structures as their families and extended family networks are ashamed of
being identified with them because of either religious, and or moral reasons.” See RAU, “Child Marriages – the
Arguments,” 2015.
23
Using Agency definition of 0-24 years of age; culturally, in Zimbabwe youth can extend until such time as a
person has work, a spouse, and children – in other words an adult is someone who has demonstrated responsibility.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
to the increasing social and economic difficulties the country faces. The result is the marginalization of a
significant portion of Zimbabwe’s population, potentially sabotaging the country’s future.
Illustrative DO 1 Indicators
● Prevalence of poverty (and/or depth of poverty)
● Global Competitiveness Ranking (from the World Economic Forum)
● Stunting rates for children under 5 years of age (gender disaggregated) 24
Context
With high rates of poverty and an increasingly informal economy, the average Zimbabwean has seen a
sharp decline in standard of living, which has led to recurrent food security issues. Poverty is more
prevalent in rural areas where 68 percent of people live, and the majority of those people depend directly
or indirectly on agriculture for employment and food security. 25 The economy as a whole, once heavily
reliant on agriculture for employment and poverty reduction, now generates only 14 percent of total GDP
from the sector. Major crop yields are only about half of pre-2000 levels before the advent of the Fast
Track Land Reform Program and the associated takeover of commercial farms. 26 Agriculture,
nevertheless, remains an important source of income, employing a third of the formal labor force. The
collapse of commercial farming not only caused unemployment, it led the country on a path of food
insecurity and food deficits, leaving behind severely damaged upstream and downstream agribusinesses
that previously provided inputs and processing. Moreover, the general decline in formal employment has
forced many workers into poorly remunerated and insecure informal jobs and thus had a direct impact on
both poverty and hunger. 27 The dollarization of Zimbabwe’s currency in early 2009 helped to stabilize
certain aspects of the economy; however, it has not been nearly enough to overcome policy choices that
have caused a downward economic spiral, resulting in an uncompetitive economy with high levels of
poverty and food insecurity.
While generally declining, the share of food insecure households varies from year-to-year, reflecting the
strong reliance on rain-fed agriculture. The result is significant periodic spikes in the numbers of food
insecure people during the lean season based on rainfall patterns. An over-reliance on subsistence
agriculture on rain-fed land means that farmers are facing the harsh reality of climate change. While
24
Source: Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey
25
Source: Zimbabwe Poverty, Income Consumption and Expenditure Report 2011/2012, April 2013, ZimStat.
26
Based on data from the Commercial Farmers Union for 20 major agricultural products including maize, wheat,
tobacco, cotton soya beans, groundnuts, sugar, dairy and beef.
27
In 2011, 94% of paid employees received an income equal to or below the total consumption poverty line for an
average family of five, while three out of every four employed persons in Zimbabwe are classified as being in
‘vulnerable employment.’
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
climate and rainfall variability have been high across southern Africa for the past century, evidence
suggests that climate change will likely cause rainy seasons to be shorter, with increasing temperatures,
higher variability in weather patterns, more frequent droughts, and occasional flooding. To adapt to these
changes, farmers need to build resilience to shocks by harvesting and storing water, using it more
efficiently, and shifting away from maize towards small grains and seed varieties that tolerate new
climatic realities. However, Zimbabwe is a country that prefers to grow maize despite the changing
climate and increasing concerns regarding water scarcity. This preference is reinforced by the
government, which distributes maize rather than other seeds thereby frequently undermining free market
incentives. Unfortunately, many Zimbabweans have yet to accept fully the realities of climate change and
its implications. This year, which is the second year of an El Niño-related drought, approximately 28
percent of the rural population was estimated to be food insecure during the peak of the lean season from
January to March 2016. This number is expected to increase in anticipation of El Niño’s continued effect
on Zimbabwe.
In recent years, several major studies documented and emphasized the link between good nutrition and
economic growth. 28 With Zimbabwe’s stunting prevalence at 28 percent, 29 the GOZ acknowledges the
importance of nutrition in its strategic and policy documents. 30 These policies and plans are consistent
with USAID’s policy emphasizing adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, and USAID
will encourage their full implementation.
Crosscutting Issues
The consequences of a weak economy and increased food insecurity do not affect Zimbabweans equally.
Youth and gender dynamics represent critical concerns, but also important opportunities. Young adults
from the ages of 15 to 35 are the most affected by unemployment or underemployment and the most
prone to the social and political manipulation that has contributed to past violence and instability. 31 As
youth remain a potential source of social upheaval, they are a segment of the population that cannot be
ignored. In response, activities will seek to mobilize and engage youth positively in economic activities
in order to transform the youth bulge from a potential burden to a key driver of growth.
Gender dynamics are also critical, as Zimbabwe’s economic decline does not affect men and women
equally. Women play a critical role in agriculture in Zimbabwe but have limited access to and ownership
of productive assets such as land and agricultural inputs. This is not the only barrier for greater female
participation in the economy. A labor market assessment carried out by USAID in FY 2015 identified the
following primary barriers to gender equality in the labor force:
In response, under DO 1, USAID will continue to promote more equitable household and community
decision-making, thereby enabling women to participate more fully in transforming the economic status
of their households, communities, and the country. Current and future activities will also strive to
empower women to increase their control and ability to influence decisions over income and assets
alongside men. The Mission already has had success in this endeavor and will build on existing
interventions. For example, Food for Peace (FFP) resources will continue to empower women with
farming skills, introducing them to new technologies and management practices to engage better in
commercial value chains and increase income. FFP activities will also continue to promote women’s
leadership in farmer groups, community asset management committees, and village savings and lending
groups. These activities will continue to be complemented by Feed the Future (FTF) programs, which
address women’s lack of economic decision-making power within the household and lack of access to
technical training, technology, and tools for productive livelihoods.
Broadly speaking, DO 1 will support transparency, accountability, and good governance through
evidence-based policy research by non-government and government organizations. This is to inform
better economic policy processes and decision-making, and to encourage inclusive economic growth and
investment. DO 1 will also build the fundamentals of accountability and good governance at a grassroots
level through participatory and inclusive activity components. Examples include community-led disaster
risk reduction committees and asset management committees, which oversee the use and maintenance of
communal assets created or rehabilitated.
Because the factors that negatively affect the economy are broad, the Mission designed an integrated DO
that addresses the most relevant factors impeding inclusive, sustainable economic growth. The IRs in DO
1 complement one another by improving the economic and business environment to foster opportunities
for equitable growth, while simultaneously building the capacity and resilience of the most vulnerable to
engage in the broader economy. Food security is woven into the DO by improving the economic
environment that ensures a sufficient supply of food, as well as opportunities for households to access
food. The Mission will continue to ensure that FTF and FFP complement and leverage one another so
that whenever feasible, the impact of these activities will be expanded through co-location, joint targeting,
or strategic alignment. There are opportunities to explore the greater integration related to FTF and FFP
activities under DO 1, as well as between these activities and the Maternal Child Health and Nutrition
activities under DO 2. 32
32
Funding for Feed the Future and MCHN in Zimbabwe is modest, and the geographic overlap of these ongoing
activities is restricted to several wards in one province, so the potential for extensive integration is limited.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
DO 1
Expanded inclusive and sustainable
economic opportunities
Interventions will promote the use of evidence-based policy research to inform advocacy efforts and build
the capacity of a wide range of business, farm, and other stakeholder organizations to create demand for
reform. By increasing availability and access to high-quality public information, the expected result is
that there will be more effective pressure for reform and dialogue regarding the policy environment
needed to foster inclusive economic growth. USAID will emphasize those policies that support inclusion
of the poor and vulnerable, including women and youth, in economic activities, asset ownership,
leadership, and decision-making.
The policy and advocacy interventions will be complemented by assistance to help business and farm
organizations enhance their management capacity, improve their member support services, grow
membership, build financial strength, and improve understanding of gender dynamics. Key actors include
labor unions, farmers unions, commodity associations, business and trade associations, and other private
or public entities.
such as finance and technology, and unreliable access to water and electricity. USAID will work with
businesses to help mitigate the negative impact of the challenging environment and improve their
competitiveness. USAID will also support interventions that seek to link the informal and formal
markets.
As a result of the collapse of the formal sector, employment opportunities have shrunk dramatically,
leaving youth, particularly those in rural areas, with few prospects. Consequently, many rural youth
migrate to cities or cross the border searching for opportunity, but most end up unemployed or eking out a
few dollars a day in the informal sector. For those seeking to enter formal employment, in partnership
with the private sector, USAID will help youth to build job-related and communication skills, confidence,
a work ethic, resiliency, and a network of contacts. For youth looking to become entrepreneurs, USAID
will provide the skills and assistance to start their own businesses successfully.
Finance, even in the formal sector, is consistently the most frequently reported constraint to business
operations. 33 For informal enterprises without a credit history or collateral, access to finance is even more
difficult. Under this IR, USAID will increase access to finance with an emphasis on women and
smallholder farmers.
USAID will use a comprehensive approach that employs complementary interventions to improve
nutritional outcomes. These will likely include increasing dietary diversity and use of less-commonly
consumed nutrient-dense local foods, encouraging essential nutrition behaviors and practices, promoting
exclusive breast feeding and hygienic food handling practices, and providing micronutrient-enhanced
supplementary food for pregnant and lactating women and young children. DO 1 activities will
coordinate as appropriate with activities under DO 2 that have maternal and child health components. By
focusing on activities that improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities as well as the resilience
activities in IR 1.4, USAID expects to have a significant impact on malnutrition and stunting.
33
According to the 2011 World Bank Enterprise Survey and the 2015/2016 Global Competitiveness Report.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
This is part of USAID’s continued support of Zimbabwe’s transition from dependence on humanitarian
assistance to increased resilience and strengthened livelihoods, which will ultimately enable the
vulnerable to participate in the broader economy. The focus will be on helping the most vulnerable
households cope with shocks without falling further into poverty.
Context
High levels of preventable deaths, a heavy disease burden, and an under-resourced health service delivery
system all contribute to a low life expectancy and poor health status of Zimbabweans. The delivery
system is weak and overstretched by the high burden of HIV; TB; malaria; and maternal, newborn and
childhood (MNCH) illness, disease burdens that are complex and intertwined. HIV, TB, and malaria are
the most common causes of death in pregnant women and children under the age of five. 34 The single
most significant contributing factor to the TB burden is the AIDS epidemic with 68 percent co-infection
rates. 35 Malaria is the third leading cause of mortality
and morbidity. 36 Three-quarters of maternal deaths are Box 3: Addressing Gender-Based Violence
preventable, 37 and nearly half of women who die of
pregnancy-related complications are infected with HIV. 38
GBV is widespread in Zimbabwean society, and
While the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) despite Zimbabwe’s relatively strong GBV legal
has policies that address the most prevalent health risks framework, women and children remain
and are aligned with the World Health Organization vulnerable to multiple forms of violence. A
(WHO) guidelines, more is needed to ensure these recent United Nations report on GBV showed
standards are appropriately implemented nationwide. that all forms of GBV, especially physical and
sexual violence, remain high in Zimbabwe. The
Zimbabwe’s prolonged economic crisis is at the root, risk of experiencing GBV increases substantially
leading to an eroded health system that is now heavily as women move into adulthood and enter into
dependent upon donors. Currently, health receives about marital and other forms of sexual relationships
8 percent of the total government budget as compared to with men. A National Baseline Survey on the
39
the 15 percent called for in the Abuja Declaration. Life Experiences of Adolescents found that 33
Although the national budget’s contribution to the health percent of women in Zimbabwe had experienced
sector had been declining, it has stabilized in the last few sexual violence by age 18 and that only 2.7
40 percent of them received professional help for
years to around $330 million annually for MOHCC.
any incident of sexual violence. USAID will
34 focus its GBV interventions on mitigation,
MOHCC National Health Profile
35
World Health Organization Global TB report, 2015.
education, and prevention, incorporating men and
36
MOHCC National Health Profile. women as well as youth and adults into GBV
37
Annual Report for Notified Institutional Maternal Deaths: activities. Activities will focus on providing
2010-2011. services to address physical and sexual violence
38
Maternal and Perinatal Mortality Study, 2007. against adolescent girls, as well as political
39
2016 National Budget Statement. intimidation and violence targeting women.
40
Ibid.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
The majority is allocated for salaries although the GOZ has placed a freeze on hiring of nurses.
Alternative financial mechanisms, such as the national AIDS levy and results-based financing schemes,
help support the sector, but donor dependency will continue to be a major issue given the large gaps
between needs and GOZ resources.
Given Zimbabwe’s significant disease burden, USAID/Zimbabwe is taking a highly focused approach to
improving the health and wellbeing of Zimbabweans by targeting the major causes of morbidity and
mortality and coordinating closely with the GOZ, who is the largest provider of health services. Since
HIV, malaria, and TB are the top three causes of illness and death, efforts to improve prevention, care,
and treatment services for these diseases have the highest potential to reduce morbidity and mortality in
Zimbabwe. Also included are reproductive health (RH) and MNCH, given the links and the importance
of reducing maternal child mortality. Interventions will be prioritized according to the major causes of
disease and deaths, with a preference given to activities that have the highest potential to increase the
number of Zimbabweans living longer lives and to achieve the greatest impact on the health status of the
population.
Crosscutting Issues
DO 2 has a specific crosscutting theme based on the critical role that health systems play in improving
health status. The DO focuses on the major disease problems and the leading causes of mortality and
morbidity, but will also support a harmonized approach to health systems strengthening that cuts across
the four IRs. This is particularly important in the areas of human resources for health, data use for
decision-making, supply chain and logistics management, and implementation of policies and guidelines.
Due to the MOHCC’s limited financial capacity, USAID and other donors (including the Global Fund to
Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Bank) support the majority of health systems
strengthening activities, such as human resources for health and health financing. Donor coordination
will continue and resources leveraged in this area, as health systems strengthening remains critical to
achieving health outcomes.
While working to strengthen elements of the health system described above, USAID will target its
interventions in geographic areas and populations where the greatest disease or health risk burdens exist. 41
Approaches will specifically target youth and women, as they are the most vulnerable. For example,
women 15-24 years old are nearly twice as likely to be HIV-positive as men are, with 7 percent
prevalence compared to 4 percent in young men. 42 Pregnant women, particularly those in their first
pregnancy, are more susceptible to developing malaria due to decreased immunity during pregnancy. The
spacing and prevention of unwanted pregnancies is a well-known intervention that can drastically
improve health outcomes in women of reproductive age.
USAID will work across the four IRs to improve accountability and governance within the health system.
For example, in supply chain management, USAID will increase GOZ capacity to effectively forecast,
procure, and distribute drugs and other health commodities. Working with local government authorities
on provision of public health services also presents an opportunity to address a gap in policy adoption and
implementation by promoting appropriate and timely implementation of internationally recommended
policies. Lastly, upholding the patient charter (which defines client rights and standards of care) and
41
E.g., in order to reach 80% ART coverage nationally, the focus is on 36 priority districts where 80% of the HIV-
positive individuals live. For malaria control focus is the three eastern rural provinces that account for about 83% of
all malaria cases and 50% of all malaria deaths in 2014. MNCH activities will target Manicaland where the
maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the country and malaria transmission is also high.
42
ZDHS 2010/2011
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
ensuring informed consent for various health services will continue to be offered as part of quality service
delivery.
In the health sector, youth face specific challenges that limit their access to health services, including
family planning, reproductive health, and HIV and AIDS. Some of these barriers are due to age-
differentials between them and the provider, unavailability of services in areas where youth tend to
gather, and health messages that are not tailored to youth as a specific audience. USAID will continue to
provide youth-friendly services to reach this population in family planning, reproductive health, and HIV
and AIDS. Activities include peer education, community HIV treatment support groups, mass media and
social marketing campaigns, and trainings for health care providers on how to interact with youth clients.
Women and girls are at the center of DO2. Given the high levels of maternal mortality, unacceptable
levels of GBV, and the large percentage of women infected with HIV, this strategy identifies women and
girls as a critical target population and primary intended beneficiaries of improved essential health
services. The ability of mothers to access essential health services and health-related knowledge is
fundamental to the health of Zimbabwean families. USAID’s approach towards addressing gender
concerns is wide reaching, focusing on barriers to improving health status.
USAID has focused its GBV interventions on mitigation, education, and prevention, incorporating men
and women as well as youth and adults into GBV activities. USAID’s GBV activities focus on providing
services to address physical and sexual violence against adolescent girls, as well as political intimidation
and violence targeting women. Zimbabwe has been experiencing a rise in early marriages due to
religious, economic, and social factors, and USAID seeks to address these issues across its foreign
assistance program. In each relevant IR, service delivery will include care, treatment, and referral
services for survivors of GBV, which is a significant development issue in Zimbabwe.
43
Child marriage almost exclusively affects the girl child. Young girls are more vulnerable to infection, including
HIV; lack power to negotiate safe sex; are at higher risks of maternal mortality and morbidity; and miscarriage or
other delivery complications. Other issues that are devastating to their well-being include loss of educational
opportunity; treatment as domestic servants; and total dependency on the ‘husband’ and “often suffering repeated
rape, physical and psychological abuse with no recourse. They have weak pyscho-social support structures as their
families and extended family networks are ashamed of being identified with them because of either religious, and or
moral reasons.” See RAU, “Child Marriages – the Arguments,” 2015.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
DO 2
Increased number of Zimbabweans
who live longer and healthier lives
Current funding for antiretroviral therapy (ART) is insufficient to achieve high coverage and epidemic
control on a national scale. To address this gap, this strategy will include an increased emphasis on
providing treatment services for HIV-positive Zimbabweans, in line with the shift in PEPFAR priorities
toward a more concentrated effort on treatment. Activities will focus on identifying HIV-positive
Zimbabweans and getting them onto appropriate treatment, with the goal of identifying 90 percent of the
HIV-positive population, getting 90 percent of HIV-positive individuals on treatment, and achieving viral
load suppression within 90 percent of those on treatment. Through these accelerated efforts, the PEPFAR
program aims to achieve epidemic control in Zimbabwe during the CDCS period.
Intermediate Result 2.2: Enhanced Coverage of Malaria Control and Elimination Measures
Malaria is the third leading cause of death and illness in Zimbabwe. 45 While the total number of reported
malaria cases decreased from 1.8 million in 2006 to 536,000 in 2014, from 2012 to 2013 malaria
incidence rose 32 percent from 22 to 29 per 1,000. In 2014, the rate increased again to 39 per 1,000, a 34
percent increase from 2013. 46 While this trend may partly be due to increased diagnostic capacity, it is
likely that the consistent application and adoption of malaria prevention measures may have declined in
some communities or households.
44
MOHCC National HIV Estimates Report, 2014.
45
MOHCC National Health Profile.
46
MOHCC National Malaria Control Programme Annual Report, 2014.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
USAID will continue to provide assistance as part of the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) that is
coordinated with national efforts led by the GOZ’s National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). Some
districts remain in the malaria control phase, while others are beginning the transition to pre-elimination
of malaria. Interventions will seek to reduce the transmission of malaria by scaling up either indoor
residual spraying (IRS) or long-lasting insecticide-treated nets as effective vector control interventions to
90 percent of the population residing in malarious districts. As two of the major malaria donors in
Zimbabwe, PMI and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will continue to
coordinate efforts under the leadership of the NMCP to achieve the vector control coverage goal. In
addition, activities will seek to improve country capacity and strengthen systems to ensure accurate
quantification, procurement, distribution, prescription, and use of diagnostic tools and medicines to
improve case management.
Intermediate Result 2.3: Increased Coverage of Quality Services and Responsive Systems for TB
Control
TB is the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Zimbabwe. Between 2012 and 2014, the
national mortality rate increased from 38 to 40 per 100,000 while TB incidence (including HIV+TB)
decreased from 562 to 552 cases per 100,000. 47 As HIV is an important determinant of TB, there is a
need to improve and scale-up integrated TB and HIV care and treatment. While the TB treatment success
rate remains high at 81 percent, 48 the National TB Program Strategic Plan recognizes that treatment and
prevention efforts are hampered by a wide-reaching set of issues. These include inadequate human
resource capacity, the burden of TB/HIV co-infection, a weak national laboratory network, inadequate
diagnostic capability for childhood TB, and insufficient engagement of individuals and communities
infected or affected by TB.
The TB burden in Zimbabwe is a complex problem, but at the core is the need to prioritize strengthening
the programmatic and diagnostic management and leadership of TB. TB detection, care, and
management approaches will be more integrated with other services and focus on children, women, and
key priority populations like those with HIV, those working in mines, migrants, and clients with non-
communicable diseases and hepatitis. Support will be provided to expand and improve TB infection
control measures within the health care service delivery system, as part of improved prevention and
control efforts. In addition, TB operational and management systems will be strengthened to ensure a
more responsive environment for effective delivery of TB services. These include investments in
laboratory and specimen transport, capacity building of health staff, and increased routine use of data for
decision-making.
Intermediate Result 2.4: Improved Maternal and Child Health Status in Targeted Areas
Although the maternal mortality rate has declined from 960 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010/2011 49
to 614 in 2014, 50 it remains unacceptably high. Three-quarters of maternal deaths are preventable and are
largely due to postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, malaria, eclampsia, and anemia. Similarly, despite a
decrease in the under-five mortality rate in recent years, it also remains high at 75 per 1000 live births. 51
Again, these deaths are all preventable. Zimbabwe’s contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 59
percent in 2010 52 to 67 percent in 2014. 53 Yet the total fertility rate that had declined since 1988
increased between 2006 and 2011 with higher rates among rural women (4.8 vs. 3.1). 54
47
National TB Program Annual Report.
48
National TB Program Annual Report.
49
Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 2010-11.
50
Zimstat Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014.
51
Zimstat Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014.
52
Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 2010-11.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
For optimal use of available resources, USAID will focus on the province with the highest maternal and
infant morbidity and mortality rates. Practices and barriers, such as early marriage, early sexual
encounters, and limited decision-making power among women and girls, impede access to services for
pregnant women and girls, and a significant number of births still occur without a skilled health provider.
Interventions to encourage health-seeking behaviors, increase use of services, and identify and treat
women and girls affected by GBV, will be evidence-based, targeted, and sensitive to Zimbabwe’s
sociocultural context and changing demographics. Most women have limited access to long acting and
permanent methods (LAPM) of contraception, especially in rural areas. Interventions will focus on
increasing access to family planning (FP) through outreach services in rural areas to bring LAPM
contraction options to rural populations.
This DO reflects the assessment that weak systems of accountability underpin Zimbabwe’s broader
development challenges and need to be addressed through several vantage points. Decreasing barriers to
participation, especially for women and youth, is critical and must be carefully balanced with efforts to
increase accountability of government institutions so that they can adequately respond to citizen demands.
Context
Though imperfect, Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution enshrines unambiguous respect for fundamental human
rights, gender equality, and a framework for tackling the legacy of human rights abuses. Citizens have a
basis for discussing development problems in the context of their social, political, economic, and civil
rights. Although the current environment is fluid, the Mission believes there is a window of opportunity
to build on the Constitution and promote accountability, human rights, and active citizenship, while
fostering more inclusive, representative structures and processes for participation. To achieve these goals,
barriers to civic participation by women and young people, who make up the vast majority of the
population must be reduced. 55
Crosscutting Issues 56
Women and youth face significant and particular barriers to participation in political processes. On the
other hand, partially in recognition to the barriers women face, Zimbabwe’s new constitution mandates
that the government must take measures to ensure equal representation of women and men at all levels of
the government and dictates a temporary quota for women’s seats in Parliament until 2023. The 2013
53
Zimstat Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014.
54
Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 2010-11.
55
According to the Zimbabwe 2012 Census, women represent 51.9% of the population, while 76.8% is under the
age of 35. Those figures suggest that approximately 89% of the population is either female or under the age of 35.
Of that, 35.9% of the population is between the ages of 15 and 34 while children under the age of 15 make up
41.1%.
56
Please note that accountability and governance are core to this DO and as such, affect the other DOs. Therefore,
are not included as cross-cutting issues.
22
USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
general election brought women’s representation in Parliament from 20 percent to 35 percent. Women
now chair 40 percent of the 20 Parliamentary committees.
Youth face additional obstacles to participation in political and governance processes, and USAID will
continue its focus on empowerment, looking at both marginalized youth and youth in leadership
positions.
O3
DO 3
Improved accountable, democratic
governance that serves an engaged citizenry
3. 3. 3.3
IR 1: Constitution- IR 2: Systems of IR 3: Citizen
driven reforms accountability engagement
advanced strengthened increased
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
While the CLA plan represents the Mission’s first step in articulating its CLA approach, it will be refined
throughout the CDCS timeframe. In accordance with emerging Agency guidance, the Mission will first
develop a full CLA plan as part of formulating the Mission-wide PMP, which will occur four to six
months after approval of the CDCS. Thereafter, the Mission will produce complementary materials and
processes that aid both staff and implementing partners in practical and utilization-focused CLA
applications. These applications will lead to deeper coordination and integration, evidence-based
knowledge that incorporates input from an increasingly diverse set of stakeholders, and management
processes and techniques that provide USAID managers with a menu of adaptive management options
allowing for agile corrective actions.
In conducting the CDCS development process and reflecting upon internal practices, it is apparent that the
Mission already carries out numerous CLA activities that lead to collaboration and learning. The Mission
will leverage these endeavors to strengthen CLA resulting in intentional collaboration and learning, and
the systemization of these practices will form the basis of a coherent, Mission-wide CLA system.
Monitoring. Monitoring will inform routine adaptive management of activities through data collection,
synthesis and reporting. The Mission will use existing mandatory USAID program cycle requirements to
track activities progress. As per standard requirements, implementing partners will be required to submit
an M&E plan detailing standard and custom indicators as well as targets and baselines for awards. During
the quarterly and annual reporting periods, implementing partners will be required to report on these
indicators. USAID and implementing partners will use these reports to discuss progress and challenges
and decide on any changes or management decisions.
The Mission’s performance against the results framework will be measured through the PMP. During the
portfolio review processes, the Mission will deliberate on achievement of annual targets and decide on
any adaptive action or management decisions. The implementation-focused portfolio review will also
discuss performance on PPR indicators.
57
The PMP will provide more details on indicators, data quality assurance, data collection, analysis and reporting
procedures, evaluation plan and a detailed CLA plan.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Evaluation. In line with the USAID evaluation policy, evaluation will be geared toward accountability
and learning. Accountability will focus on measuring the effects, progress, and impacts of USAID
programing while learning will inform new program designs and changes or modifications in processes
and practice. A detailed evaluation plan will be provided in the Mission PMP. Using the PMP, the
Mission will track implementation of evaluation recommendations. Some of the major learning agenda
items that the evaluation plan will draw from include:
Development Objective 1:
• Changes to seasons and impact of ideal crop planting calendars and implications of shifting
livelihood zones due to climate change
• With a gender specific focus, in response to climate change in Zimbabwe, how can rural
households best diversify their livelihoods to not only survive, but also thrive in the face of
heightened climate stress and uncertainty?
• Need for more information on GOZ-civil society dialogue and adoption of policy
recommendations
Development Objective 2:
• What is the effectiveness of social franchising in provision of family planning services?
• How do strengthened GBV activities contribute to improved GBV prevention and response?
• How effective is the integration of ART and OVC programing?
Development Objective 3:
• Analyze the barriers for participation for women and youth, and Zimbabweans at large.
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Illustrative DO 1 Indicators
• Prevalence of poverty / extreme poverty (target areas, gender, age disaggregated)
• Global Competitiveness Report ranking
• Stunting rates for children under 5 years of age (gender disaggregated)
Illustrative DO 2 Indicators
• Maternal mortality rate
• Number of new HIV infections per year
• Malaria incidence rate
Illustrative DO 3 Indicators
• Percentage of Zimbabweans who report some form of civic or political participation
(Afrobarometer Q19-20)
• Freedom in the World index score (Freedom House)
• Worldwide Governance Indicators index score (World Bank)
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
Prevalence of Poverty
Annex 2: Maps
Percentage of People
Living in Poverty
<50 %
50-65 %
>65-75 %
>75-96%
Provincial Boundary
District Boundary
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USAID/Zimbabwe CDCS
The GOZ is heavily reliant on donors to provide major financing for the social sectors and the
humanitarian assistance. Donors in Zimbabwe include the United Kingdom (UK), U.S., Global Fund,
European Union (EU), Japan, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Donor
support is declining with Australia significantly reducing their support and Norway and Denmark
planning to withdraw from Zimbabwe next year. The top bilateral donors are the U.S., UK, and the EU
with many of the smaller donors frequently working through the United Nations (UN) system.
Other donors in the agricultural sector include the Swiss, Australian Aid and the German development
organization. These donors provide support in training in good agricultural practices, market linkages,
community gardens and community seed production, harmonization of seed laws and protocols across the
region, development and expansion of mobile financial services and information, reducing post-harvest
losses through low-cost grain storage technologies, rehabilitation of irrigation schemes, and integration of
climate change in vulnerability assessments and analyses.
Humanitarian Assistance
The field of humanitarian donors is small. USAID is by far the largest traditional donor, followed by
DfID and the European Commission. Non-traditional donors including China and Brazil have
sporadically contributed in-kind food aid, often directly to the GOZ.
Health
In the health sector, the major donors include the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria,
DFID, EU, SIDA, UN Agencies (WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA), and the World Bank. Other
NGOs provide support in more focused health areas such as Elma, CHAI, and CIFF. The Health
Transition Fund is a pooled funding basket that aims to improve maternal, child health, family planning,
and reproductive health services. Although opportunities for private sector investments are limited,
several companies such as EcoNet have collaborated with NGOs to utilize technologies for improved
health outcomes. In addition, the Minister of Finance announced at the end of November 2014 that the
AIDS Levy (NATF) would be extended to the mining sector in 2015, which is expected to add
approximately $13 million to the $32 million annual revenue of the Fund.
sector. However, the pool of donors has been shrinking since 2000 due to concerns over government
accountability and human rights. The last DRG project by the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) ended in 2013, and the Norwegians and the Danish (Danida) are closing their Embassies
and development programs in 2016-2017, while AusAID funding has been zeroed out. Coordination
meetings with the remaining donors working in the DRG sector take place on a bi-monthly basis. In a
number of sub-sectors, such as electoral assistance, parliament, or civil society, subgroups also meet
regularly to ensure coordination of effort.
30