10. Conclusion The report paints a less than satisfactory picture of the LGBTI situation in the country. Clearly much more work will still be required to reach desired levels where LGBTI persons can be able to live free from violations and with the full recognition of their rights. The number of violations is just the tip of the iceberg in relation to the many other incidences that are taking place unreported within the communities where LGBTI persons live. What can be concluded with certainty from the analysis of the violations in this report is that the overly homophobic public is sadly ignorant of the law and what it says about sexual orientation and gender identity. At the very least, if the public cannot immediately embrace non-gender conforming individuals, at least let there be knowledge that simply identifying as gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual or intersex is not a criminal and not a prosecutable ‘offence’. Pro-LGBTI rights defenders face a huge challenge in achieving the desirable end, while the spectre of harassment, arrest and detention from the police remains a real threat to well intentioned efforts and progress. Even so, merely taking remedial steps to address the the legal and policy environment will still not be enough and certainly will not result in the desired broad based social change. Change will ultimately be the sum of a cocktail of interventions that address deep-rooted cultural beliefs and attitudes that fuel homophobia. This will mean bringing together various actors across the divide to speak with one voice. An analysis of the state of human rights violations against LGBTI persons in Zimbabwe (2011-2017) 39