Zimbabwe’s civil society organisations have launched a 10-year strategy aimed at protecting democratic space, strengthening community participation and reducing dependence on donor funding amid mounting operational and financial pressures.
The Zimbabwe Civil Society Strategy 2026-2035 seeks to improve coordination among civic organisations, rebuild public trust and establish more sustainable institutions capable of responding to the country’s evolving political and social environment.
Speaking at the launch, Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) national chairperson Takesure Musiiwa said civil society was facing significant challenges including restrictive legislation, declining donor support and the closure or downsizing of organisations.
“Our sector is tired and under pressure. Civic space has narrowed. New laws including the PVO Amendment Act have changed how we register, operate and are funded. Many organisations have shrunk or closed. Donor funding is falling, experienced leaders are leaving and too many of us still work in isolation,” Musiiwa said.
He said the new strategy was intended to address these challenges by encouraging organisations to work together, strengthen their relationships with communities and adopt a long-term approach to planning rather than relying on individual projects.
“In response, the strategy asks us to coordinate better, work more closely with communities and plan ten years ahead instead of one project cycle at a time,” he said.
Musiiwa said the strategy was anchored in Zimbabwe’s Constitution particularly provisions guaranteeing citizens the right to participate in decisions affecting their lives.
He said its development involved organisations from across the civil society sector with consultations including a nationwide survey, research, interviews and two rounds of validation.
The strategy was subsequently adopted by consensus at a Directors Roundtable in July, he added.
Musiiwa said the framework identified three major priorities: protecting democratic space and public accountability, rebuilding civic power from the grassroots and ensuring the long-term sustainability of civil society organisations.
Under the first priority, organisations will seek to defend civic space and constitutionalism, promote public-interest governance and prepare for emerging digital challenges including artificial intelligence, data protection and digital security.
The second priority focuses on rebuilding trust within civil society, placing communities and local organisations at the centre of development efforts, and engaging with new movements led by young people.
The third seeks to strengthen institutions, develop alternative funding models, renew leadership across generations and deepen engagement with Zimbabweans in the diaspora, regional partners and the international community.
Musiiwa said civil society organisations also needed to confront difficult questions about their engagement with government, particularly where cooperation could undermine their independence.
“The strategy also names difficult choices, such as when engaging government risks co-option, and asks us to work through them together,” he said.
He stressed that the success of the strategy would depend on its implementation rather than its adoption as a policy document.
“This document only matters if it changes things in our communities,” he said.
To facilitate implementation, the strategy will use a small stewardship mechanism to coordinate activities, while action clusters will drive specific areas of work. An annual civic strategy review will assess progress.
Musiiwa called on civil society organisations to identify two or three priorities aligned with their mandates and join the relevant action clusters.
He also urged development partners to provide sustained support throughout the strategy’s 10-year period, warning implicitly against short-term funding arrangements that could undermine long-term institutional development.
Addressing government officials, he invited public office holders to engage with civil society through dialogue.
“To those who hold public office we invite you to read this strategy and to meet with us. We are citizens who have organised and we are ready for dialogue,” he said.
Musiiwa said the coming decade would be an important test of civil society’s ability to remain united and effective despite the challenges confronting the sector.
“In 2035 people will ask what civil society did during this decade. I hope the answer will be that we held together when the space narrowed and rebuilt our work from the communities up,” he said.