Challenges faced by NGOs in the political harsh climate of Zimbabwe : analysing the effects on sustainability and promotion of human rights.

Abstract

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have gained a very high status as the leading practitioners of development in Africa. African governments have reacted obscurely to the existence of these agencies. Although they recognise the economic resources NGOs can raise, they tend to resist the political pluralisation contingent to popular development action. This article describes the role of NGOs in Zimbabwe and analyses the dynamics of government-NGO relations and the effects on promotion and protection of human rights. By means of comparative analysis of particular NGOs in Zimbabwe, the article illustrates the factors affecting sustainability of the NGOs. This thesis also explores the challenges faced by NGOs in trying to maintain sustainable promotion and protection of human rights in Zimbabwe. The political crisis that started mainly in the early 2000 until now stirred up grave human rights violations against both the civilians and the human rights defenders. The government’s dominant rule and manipulation of the political process through fabricated charges, arbitrary arrest and corruption efficiently undermined the human rights of the citizens. This political environment created many challenges for the NGOs, with some leaving the country or stopping their operations totally, some managed to sustain themselves through these challenges and they are still operating. Through the use of comparative analysis, this paper explores four NGOs to find an answer as to why some manage to sustain themselves, and the effects of lack of sustainability to the beneficiaries.