The following sources of information about conditions in Zimbabwe may prove helpful for refugees and asylum seekers considering return and to decision makers on return policies and programmes and those seeking to influence them.
The sources are arranged thematically to make it easier to find information that may help to assess whether returns are likely to be safe and sustainable and to assist preparations for return. The themes are drawn from terms of reference that were developed at the Home Office Voluntary Return Steering Group (VRSG). When discussing the ‘sustainability’ of voluntary return to a particular country of origin, at the VRSG reference is to the following indicators: absence of remigration; physical safety and security; freedom of movement; legal safety and security; housing; work/employment; education and training; and access to basic health services.
| Advice Persons granted asylum or other forms of international protection in the UK are advised to seek legal advice prior to travelling or returning to a country of origin. Persons seeking asylum in the UK are strongly advised to seek legal advice prior to making an application to return to IOM or to the UKBA. An application for voluntary return may jeopardise an outstanding asylum application. |
Migration and displacement
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) was established by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and monitors conflict-induced internal displacement world-wide. Information on internal displacement in and returns to Zimbabwe can be found on its pages, including its own reports and a joint assessment by the Government of Zimbabwe and the United Nations.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an inter-governmental organisation and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners in the field of migration. Its Zimbabwe pages provide details of the organisation’s work in that country.
Physical safety and security
European Country of Origin Information Network provides up-to-date publicly available country information with a special focus on the needs of persons seeking asylum and international protection, asylum lawyers and counsels. Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
ReliefWeb is a gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. It provides timely information as events unfold, including information on security. Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
Human Rights Watch is a US-based NGO which seeks to protect human rights, prevent discrimination, uphold political freedom, protect people from inhuman conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. Human Rights Watch’s Zimbabwe page contains analyses of the human rights situation in the country.
Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. Amnesty International’s collected information on Zimbabwe can be accessed from its library pages.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum is a membership organisation of NGOs working in the field of human rights. The Forum reports on political violence and other human rights issues can be found here.
Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is a not-for-profit human rights organisation which seeks to foster observance of human rights in Zimbabwe. Its website has news on human rights developments.
Solidarity Peace Trust is a South African registered NGO whose trustees are church leaders which seeks to assist individuals, organisations, churches and affiliated organisations in southern Africa, to build solidarity in the pursuit of justice, peace and social equality and equity in Zimbabwe. The Trust produces reports about human rights, physical safety, economic and other developments in the county.
The UK Border Agency’s Country of Origin Information Service (COI Service) seeks to provide accurate, objective, sourced and up-to-date information on asylum seekers' countries of origin, for use by UKBA officials involved in the asylum determination process. Its Country of Origin Information Report for Zimbabwe can be found here.
The International Crisis Group is an NGO that produces analytical reports on significant situations of conflict or potential conflict around the world and makes recommendations which aim to prevent and resolve deadly conflict and which are targeted at international decision-takers. Its Zimbabwe pages contain a database with monthly briefings and other reports about security and other developments in the country.
The US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter. It monitors and reports on regional security for American businesses operating overseas. Its Zimbabwe page can be accessed here.
Legal safety and security
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has produced a country briefing folder on Zimbabwe. Country folders contain references and links to general background information, human rights and international protection considerations and additional materials.
The US Law Library of Congress provides links to information on Zimbabwe’s constitutional, executive, judicial and legislative frameworks.
Housing
UN-Habitat is the UN agency for housing settlements and to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. Its website provides information on activities and resources in those countries it works in, including news reports on developments in Zimbabwe and a report on housing finance mechanisms in Zimbabwe which includes an assessment of housing conditions and needs.
Work and employment
The International Labour Organization’s NATLEX database contains information on the employment and related laws of countries worldwide. Its Zimbabwe page can be found here.
The World Bank’s overview of conditions for business and economic activity, labour and social protection and in Zimbabwe can be found here.
The UN Jobs website collates details of vacancies with various UN agencies worldwide. Vacancies in Zimbabwe can be found via its Duty Station page.
ReliefWeb is a gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. Its pages include jobs with humanitarian relief organisations operating in Zimbabwe.
Education and training
The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It runs a news service which includes pages on Zimbabwe including reports on schools and education.
ReliefWeb is a gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. It provides timely information as events unfold, including information on education. Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Zimbabwe pages provide an overview of issues of concern regarding children in the country including developments which impact on their educational, health and food needs. It also describes UNICEF’s activities in the country.
Health services
The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It runs a news service which includes pages on Zimbabwe including reports on health services and prevalent diseases.
ReliefWeb is a gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. It provides timely information as events unfold, including information on health. Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
The World Health Organization’s Zimbabwe country pages provide information on health and mortality indicators, outbreaks and disease crisis, and healthcare provision in the country and links to its office in the country
Merlin is a UK charity which responds worldwide with health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, outbreaks of disease and health system collapse. Its Zimbabwe pages can be found here.
General
The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It runs a news service which includes pages on Zimbabwe including reports on economic conditions, food security, health services and education.
ReliefWeb is a gateway to information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters designed to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. It provides timely information as events unfold, including information on security, health, education. Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
Kubatana Trust is a network of 250 Zimbabwean NGOs and civil society organisations which makes human rights and civic education information available from a centralised, electronic source. It includes details of NGOs and CSOs and links to reports from these organisations, such as Amnesty International Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Peace Project, ACT – Southern Africa, and the National Food Security Network (FOSENET).
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an inter-governmental organisation and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners in the field of migration. Its Dublin office operates a directory on return for asylum seekers (DORAS) with information on conditions for return to Zimbabwe regarding social welfare, citizenship, healthcare, accommodation, education and employment.
News organisations
AllAfrica.com posts over 1000 stories daily in English and French and offers a diversity of multi-lingual streaming programming as well as over 900,000 articles in a searchable archive (which includes the archive of Africa News Service dating from 1997).Its Zimbabwe pages can be accessed here.
NewsNow is an online news aggregator which scans the internet for headlines and groups them into convenient groups; it has a dedicated Zimbabwe news page.
See also
 | | Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes
For information about the assisted voluntary return programmes which can provide help and assistance to support sustainable returns to Zimbabwe |
| | Advice
Advice for individuals about assisted voluntary return programmes and contacting family members abroad |
Disclaimer: the Refugee Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites and does not endorse any view expressed in them. These links are offered as sources of information only.
