driven unemployment statistics as misleading and unreliable. An estimated 30 000 graduates come from Zimbabwe’s 16 tertiary institutions each year, and the job market is unable to absorb these graduates. The reality is that most Zimbabweans worked in the informal sector. Corruption and Corruption-Fighting Corruption was rife in the country. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) did little to combat corruption. The Commission was largely seen as a tool at the whims of politicians. In general, any corruption-busting appeared to be with a political agenda: only known opponents of the political establishment were seen being charged with corruption. In February President Mnangagwa ordered a mandatory declaration of assets by senior officials. Arrests of senior government officials followed; however, most were Mnangagwa's political opponents or supporters of Grace Mugabe's Generation 40 (G-40) faction. These include former G40 Ministers Ignatious Chombo, Makhosini Hlongwane, Jaison Machaya and sacked ZANU-PF youth leader Kudzai Chipanga. In May President Mnangagwa created an anti-corruption body within the Office of the President to carry out investigations, bypassing the constitutionally mandated ZACC. The Commission took up cases that went nowhere. Of all the high-profile cases involved senior politicians investigated by ZACC, not a single case resulted in a conviction. Several trials were yet to kick off by year end. There were cases where ZACC did not act, where everyone saw reasonable suspicion of corruption. Impact of Economy on Human Rights According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee, the number of food insecure people increased by July 2018 among 28% of the rural population. Financial policy reforms led to an acute foreign currency crisis resulting in price hikes of commodities and services. Local transport costs doubled in the second half of the year. Pharmaceutical goods were being sold in hard currency or in local currency equivalent to the value of the hard currency. This left people vulnerable. Further to the high inflation rate, the government took an initiative to demolish flea markets in city centres like Harare and remove vendors and traders that were operating unlawfully in towns. According to the Women and Law in Southern Africa (WILSA), price increases had an impact on family and gender-based violence, and the hyper inflationary environment predisposed women to extreme poverty.11 On 1 October 2018, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube reviewed the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax from 5 cents per transaction to 2 cents per dollar and to also forthwith suspended the Finance (Rate and Incidence of Intermediated Money Transfer Tax) Regulations published in SI 205-2018. This raised concerns on the costs of transactions given that this 2% tax on electronic transactions would affect the poor, of which most transacted through electronic platforms. Financial policy reforms led to an acute foreign currency crisis resulting in price hikes of commodities and services. Selling cash (bond notes and coins) at a premium to a citizen in need of cash 11. Women and Law in Southern Africa (WILSA) “The impact of price increases in Zimbabwe on family & GBV” Hilda Mahumucha, 14 May 2019. http://wlsazim.co.zw/the-impact-of-price-increase-in-zimbabwe-on-family-and-gbv/ 20 STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ZIMBABWE 2018