https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6587 2026-04-11T05:14:25Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6787 Title: A scoping review of neurodiverse women's representation in feminist research in Sub-Saharan Africa Authors: Nettie Nobukosi Ndou-Chikwena; Kurete Faith; Mugari Sipikelelo Abstract: This scoping review investigates representation of neurodiverse women in feminist research across Sub-Saharan Africa revealing a significant gap in the comprehension of the interplay between gender, neurodiversity, and cultural context. This study is underpinned by the Feminist Disability theory and Ubuntu philosophy. The analysis encompassed publications from two international and two regional databases: Scopus, EBSCO, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) Online Repository (AfriRep), and the African Disability Rights yearbook. Peer reviewed journals across multiple disciplines from the Taylor and Francis Group’s online platform were also analyzed. Our systematic search indicates a lack of African feminist research on women with Neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs), despite an expanding body of literature concerning women with sensory and physical disabilities. The review pinpointed several factors contributing to this dearth in NDCs research in African contexts: limited research on gender-specific challenges related to NDCs diagnosis and intervention, over reliance on foreign-developed knowledge body and diagnostic tools for NDCs, African cultural and societal perspectives on NDCs and limited local data on generated on NDCs. These findings highlight the pressing need for culturally relevant research methodologies that incorporate Ubuntu epistemologies for conceptualizing the nature of NDCs and support of neurodiverse individuals. Funding is essential to develop local research capacity and creation of new local relevant knowledge on NDCs; This scoping review investigates representation of neurodiverse women in feminist research across Sub-Saharan Africa revealing a significant gap in the comprehension of the interplay between gender, neurodiversity, and cultural context. This study is underpinned by the Feminist Disability theory and Ubuntu philosophy. The analysis encompassed publications from two international and two regional databases: Scopus, EBSCO, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) Online Repository (AfriRep), and the African Disability Rights yearbook. Peer reviewed journals across multiple disciplines from the Taylor and Francis Group’s online platform were also analyzed. Our systematic search indicates a lack of African feminist research on women with Neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs), despite an expanding body of literature concerning women with sensory and physical disabilities. The review pinpointed several factors contributing to this dearth in NDCs research in African contexts: limited research on gender-specific challenges related to NDCs diagnosis and intervention, over reliance on foreign-developed knowledge body and diagnostic tools for NDCs, African cultural and societal perspectives on NDCs and limited local data on generated on NDCs. These findings highlight the pressing need for culturally relevant research methodologies that incorporate Ubuntu epistemologies for conceptualizing the nature of NDCs and support of neurodiverse individuals. Funding is essential to develop local research capacity and creation of new local relevant knowledge on NDCs 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Nettie Nobukosi Ndou-Chikwena Kurete Faith Mugari Sipikelelo https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6775 Title: China’s security force assistance in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe and its implications for peacebuilding Authors: Ndawana Enock Abstract: This article examines the peacebuilding implications of Chinese military support to Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe. It is based on primary and secondary sources. The article mainly argues that China’s security force assistance in Zimbabwe, premised on the security-development approach, shows that the country allows African agency in its international aid with both positive and negative consequences on peacebuilding. It found that Chinese security force assistance in Zimbabwe was in the form of arms and related technology transfers, and human resources and capacity development programmes. Although China’s security force assistance in Zimbabwe has largely impinged on peacebuilding, it also supported it. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Ndawana Enock https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/6774 Title: Militarisation and Political (In)security in Contemporary Zimbabwe Authors: Ndawana Enock Abstract: This article augments studies on authoritarianism and civil-military relations in Africa by examining how militarization shapes political security. It uses the case of Zimbabwe, the concepts of militarization and political security defined from a human security perspective, and primary and secondary sources to argue that militarizing politics and the state severely undermines political security. The article shows that the increased human rights violations, disregard of the rule of law, and absence of political freedom in Zimbabwe were principally owing to militarization. It concludes that though a militarized, electoral authoritarian state effectively safeguards regime security, it cannot provide political security, among other human security elements. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Ndawana Enock