pensions had been eroded by hyperinflation to as low as USD 2 per month. However, remaining landlords are reported to have sharply increased rent, increasing the pressure on tenants and making it more difficult for evictees to find alternative accommodation in urban areas. In Mutare, rents tripled in the weeks following the demolitions, while in Victoria Falls rents doubled.53 Thousands of those who used to work in the informal sector have lost their livelihoods as a result of the crackdown on flea markets, tuck-shops, craft markets, vending stalls and urban agriculture. At least seven office buildings in Harare’s central business district have been temporarily shut down for overcrowding and breach of licensing agreements.54 A large group of small businesses and college students using these buildings have been affected. Markets in rural growth points have been closed and roadside vending has been banned, resulting in net loss in livelihoods. The economic environment, with unemployment levels between 70% and 80%, provides few immediate prospects for rebuilding livelihoods. Agriculture and export horticulture has also been adversely affected. Wholesale businesses which used to sell their produce to informal vendors have now lost a major portion of their retail network. Some workers have been dislocated and the small-scale supply chain disrupted. In some examples, formally employed people have been forced to leave their jobs as a result of the loss of shelter or the forced relocation. Street people have also been forcibly removed, and many street children have been rounded up and transferred to transit camps or overcrowded centers for delinquents. These youth centers are generally unable to provide adequate care, support and follow-up assistance for street children. 3.5 Humanitarian consequences of the Operation Depending on their location, the population affected by the evictions is in immediate need of tents, blankets, food, water, sanitation and medical assistance. Many households which have temporarily absorbed evictees are congested and increasingly strapped for resources, and also require support including shelter, blankets and food. There is a special need to protect and assist women and children and vulnerable groups such as orphans, widows, the disabled and chronically ill. The paragraphs below attempt to assess the consequences for each of these groups and for major sectors. What is evident is that Operation Restore Order took place against the backdrop of deepening vulnerability in the Zimbabwean society. Factors fueling this vulnerability include food insecurity, HIV/AIDS and limited capacity in basic services. 3.6 Analysis of impact by sector 3.6.1 Shelter and non-food items A large number of displaced persons are staying on or near the site of their demolished homes with very limited shelter. Tens of thousands are in immediate need of tents and blankets, especially with the onset of winter. The shelter situation at Caledonia Farm, which now holds an 53 Fact sheet submitted by a group of churches on 1 July 2005 in Mutare and interviews conducted in Victoria Falls. 54 “7 city buildings closed”, The Herald, 25 June 2005. 36