An Investigation into the effectiveness of climate-related policies on disaster preparedness and response in Zimbabwe. The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District.
Master thesis
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https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3084908Utgivelsesdato
2023Metadata
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Sammendrag
This study investigates the efficacy of climate-related policies on disaster preparedness andresponse in Zimbabwe, concentrating specifically on the Chimanimani District during CycloneIdai. This study is philosophically based on constructivist ontology, interpretive epistemology,and a qualitative methodology. The research focused on participants who have substantial ordirect knowledge of the area under study. Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques,the study gathered a sample of 35 participants. Semi-structured interviews served as the maininstrument for data collection. The research employed thematic analysis to interpret the data,which involved identifying patterns and themes. To validate the findings, the study usedmethodological triangulation, literature review, and theoretical frameworks, which broadenedthe understanding of the subject and offered a more thorough analysis of the researchquestion/s. The theoretical framework was based on five approaches, including the CapabilityApproach and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The results revealed thatZimbabwe's policy framework, particularly the Civil Protect Act, concerning disasterpreparedness and response, is centralized, vague, and covers a wide scope. Consequently, itfails to prioritize preparedness and response strategies adequately. The study also discoveredthat the policy framework relating to disaster preparedness in Zimbabwe does not adequatelyaddress the issue, focusing instead on disaster response, albeit insufficiently, and lacks clearprovisions to support a robust response strategy. Nonetheless, the study found that the currentpolicy framework, while not entirely sufficient to be deemed effective, does offer a rudimentaryguide to disaster preparedness and response, and lays a foundation for the development of amore inclusive and robust policy framework in Zimbabwe. For short-term improvement, thestudy suggests amending the Civil Protection Act to include provisions that ensure policyframework effectiveness in disaster management and disaster risk reduction. In the longerterm, the study recommends a careful review of the Climate Change Bill before its passage toavoid carrying forward the vulnerabilities found in the Civil Protection Act.