Zimbabwe is a land-locked country in Southern Africa with a total area of 390,580 square km. With a rating of 151 out of 177 on the United Nations Human Development Index in 2008, poverty levels across the country’s 61 districts are endemic and severe. In 2009, availability of data and a worsening political and economic situation meant it failed to rank in the 2009 index. Over 83% of the country’s 13.1 million people live below the poverty line of $US 2 a day.After decades of economic growth and flourishing development throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Zimbabwe’s progress has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. In recent years, the situation has continued to deteriorate within a crumbling political, social and economic environment marked by instability and misrule. Chronic poverty, political insecurity, HIV and Aids, repeated food crises, poor harvests and the demise of formal and informal employment opportunities continue to deplete livelihoods increasing levels of vulnerability.
The following indicators demonstrate the severity of the current crisis:
• 56.1% of the population live on less than $1 per day;
• 47% of the population are undernourished;
• Maternal mortality (880/100,000 births) and under-5 (132/1,000) mortality are increasing;
• 47% of the population are without sustainable access to improved water sources;
• Life expectancy has fallen to 40.9 years and the probability of a Zimbabwean not surviving to 40 years is 57.6%;  (UNDP: 2008, Human Development Report)
• Formal employment has fallen to 9% from 30% in 2003 (UNDP 2008; Poverty Assessment Study Survey, 2003);
• 15.6% of the population are infected with HIV leading to over 3,000 deaths per week and approximately 1 million children are orphaned due to AIDS (UNGASS, 2008, Report on HIV and Aids: Zimbabwe Country report 2006-2007)

The well documented economic collapse and subsequent conflict in the wake of the 2008 election has been accompanied by a sharp increase in poverty and decline in human development. The signing of a power sharing agreement between Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headed by Morgan Tsvangirai in September 2008 lead to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in February 2009 restoring some level of peace and stability. The GNU is a transitional arrangement while a new constitution is drafted and approved; elections are scheduled within 18-24 months. The widespread violence perpetrated by ZANU-PF youth has reduced but Zimbabwe's poor human rights record since 1999 and decaying rule of law are still a grave concern. 
Despite improvements in the situation, human rights are still routinely violated, media freedoms infringed and repressive legislation limiting fundamental civil liberties. 
The complex and unstable economy poses serious challenges to democracy and development.    Unparalleled levels of inflation periodically forced the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to re-denominate, removing zeros.  Staggering hyper-inflation reached 231 million percent in 2008, yet fell dramatically following the rapid dollarisation at the end of last year. Embryonic improvements in economic and fiscal performance have accompanied political stability and more liberal policies as prices continue fall in 2009. (Economic Intelligence Unit 2009, Zimbabwe Country Profile).
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, the main source of livelihood for over 70% of the population, is one of the causalities of the recent turmoil. From producing regular surpluses and been heralded as the ‘bread basket’ of Africa, Zimbabwe now grows less than half the food it needs and is increasingly dependent on food aid. Agricultural production in 2007/2008 hit an all-time low, worsening existing levels of food insecurity and growing malnutrition. Yields from farming have shrunk by over 50% since 1996 and cereal shortfalls are growing annually; an estimated 7 million Zimbabweans depended on food aid during the first quarter of 2009. Shortages of basic food commodities and unpredictable rainfall patterns threaten food security that is compounded by the contraction of the economy across all sectors and the incapacitating impact of the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

Breakdowns in the economy, mass displacement, deteriorating physical infrastructure, and a fractured delivery of basic health services resulted in unprecedented levels of disease incidence and prevalence. Cholera outbreaks swept the country in recent months and are a major cause for concern; 98,522 cases have been reported resulting in 4,282 deaths since February 2008 according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The critical situation over recent years including population displacements has increased vulnerability to HIV infection and disruption of support services for Home Based Care (HBC) and Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) for people living with AIDS. The considerable shortfall in finances to pay health workers and the inadequate and erratic supply of Anti-Retrovirals has had serious impacts that threaten to reverse the significant gains made in combating the disease in Zimbabwe.  The tense climate across the country makes it increasingly difficult to respond to the crisis.

Irish Aid in Zimbabwe
Irish Aid support targets the most vulnerable Zimbabweans and is disbursed through multilateral or Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). From 2006 to 2008 Ireland allocated in excess of €28 million in aid to Zimbabwe, primarily for food relief, school feeding programmes, support to those displaced by government urban clearance programmes (Operation Murambatsvina), livelihoods programmes and healthcare provision with a particular focus on HIV and AIDS.
In 2008 Irish Aid provided a total of €11.28 million in assistance to Zimbabwe. Of this €3 million was directed to a HIV and AIDS Programme. Ireland has been a major donor in tackling the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe, channelled through local NGOs, the support is aimed at strengthening the HIV & AIDS response and improving the quality and coverage of Home Based Care.  The local civil society organisations assisted by Irish Aid focus on providing direct support to families and communities with a range of interventions including management of opportunistic infections and nutritional support for the chronically ill. Irish Aid also provides core funding to the Zimbabwean AIDS Network, an umbrella coordination body for civil society organisations involved in HIV & AIDS work. During 2008, it is estimated that Irish Aid support for Home Based Care represented approximately 20% of all home based care coverage in Zimbabwe.
Together with other bilateral and multilateral donors, Ireland provides funds to the United Nations Joint Expanded Support Programme on HIV and AIDS which aims to increase the provision of care and treatment at national and district level. It also provides essential commodities for the National Blood Service and support to paediatric AIDS services.
Also, in 2008, Irish aid provided humanitarian funding of €5.18 million for a range of humanitarian programmes in Zimbabwe including the UN Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for food insecurity and co-ordination directed through WFP and OCHA. In addition, €3.09 million was disbursed to Irish NGOs and missionaries to support long-term development programmes in sectors such as basic education, primary health care, urban community development, human rights and gender equality.
Irish Aid is currently planning for a new phase of programming in Zimbabwe 2010-2011 which will focus on support for recovery with emphasis on health, HIV and AIDS, and food security.