Zimbabwe ranked among world’s toughest places to call home amid deepening crisis

HARARE – Zimbabwe, a nation that has witnessed a significant exodus of its citizens over the past two decades driven by severe economic hardships, has been identified as one of the world’s 10 most challenging places to live, according to a new global liveability index.

The report, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), cited by the Business Insider Africa, noted the harsh realities of urban life in some of the globe’s most strained cities.

The Global Liveability Index assesses cities based on over 30 indicators across five key categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. These metrics collectively offer a snapshot of a city’s quality of life for its residents.

Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, was specifically highlighted in the report, grappling with persistent hyperinflation, decaying infrastructure, and limited access to essential services such as healthcare, water and waste management.

These factors contribute significantly to its low score on the index.

The EIU’s annual assessment points to widespread challenges faced by African cities, including economic pressures, insecurity, inadequate healthcare systems, and under-resourced education structures.

The index measures stability by examining crime levels, civil unrest, and conflict threats, while healthcare considers the quality and availability of public and private services.

Culture and environment encompass aspects like climate, recreational opportunities, and personal freedoms. Education is evaluated by access to quality schooling, and infrastructure focuses on roads, transport, housing, and global connectivity.

Zimbabwe’s inclusion among the most difficult places to live aligns with the country’s documented history of economic turmoil, which has led to a mass emigration of its population.

Data from the Zimbabwe 2022 Population and Housing Census indicated that a significant majority of emigrants (84%) left the country in search of employment, with others seeking educational opportunities.

This ongoing exodus highlights the deep-seated issues impacting the nation’s liveability.

The World Bank also noted in 2023 that, “of the approximately 908,000 immigrants counted in the census, a large majority–84%–had left the country in search of employment, while another 5% had migrated for education or training (ZIMSTAT, 2023).

“Other nationally representative data validate this pattern. For example, the 2017 Poverty, Income, Consumption, Expenditure Survey (PICES) shows that 15% of households had at least one member living abroad, and most of them (90%) had left in search of employment (Zimbabwe Poverty Assessment, World Bank, 2022).

“Many of those who are still in the country also have considered leaving. For example, the 2017 Afrobarometer survey showed that almost half (47%) of adults in Zimbabwe have either considered emigration, are planning to move within two years, or are preparing to move.”

Other nations, including Nigeria, Algeria, and Libya, also feature in the bottom 10 of the index, reflecting similar pressures on their urban centers.

Globally, cities at the lower end of the liveability rankings are predominantly located in the Middle East and Africa, indicative of ongoing instability, limited infrastructure, and constrained access to quality services.

The list also includes cities from Syria, Venezuela, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.