Understanding the governance of climate risk-induced displacement in Southern Africa: case studies of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

 

The Southern Africa region has been affected by the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, heat waves, floods, tropical cyclones and rising sea levels, which are not only resulting in loss of lives and property damage but are also contributing to the displacement of populations. Despite the acknowledgement of the impact of climate change in the region, the governance of displacement remains a challenge at community, national and regional levels. The legal, policy and institutional responses to climate change-induced displacement are still at a formative stage. In addition, policies on planned relocation, displacement and migration are often insufficiently gender-responsive.

This project seeks to establish and document national and regional governance frameworks for climate crisis-induced displacements as well as analyze their impact on affected local communities. The case studies will focus on Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where frequent droughts and floods have begun to exacerbate rural-urban migration as households seek alternative livelihood opportunities. The analysis will be based on an approach that explains how intersecting forms of exclusion, such as gender, class, age, ethnicity and race, also shape the governance of climate-induced displacements.

The comparative nature of the study allows for cross-country learning experiences, shaping best practices and strategies that other countries can adopt. The final outputs include knowledge and policy products that will be used to develop training, advocacy and outreach programs targeted towards national and regional policymakers, community leaders and civil society organizations.