Decolonizing Digital Resilience: An Intersectional Framework for Transformative Gender-Responsive Social Protection in Zimbabwe’s Migration-Development Nexus

This research develops a transformative intersectional framework for gender-responsive social protection policy that enhances sustainable reintegration of Zimbabwean return migrants while addressing systemic inequalities and digital divides. The study employs a decolonial policy analysis framework combined with digital intersectionality lens to examine Zimbabwe’s social protection architecture. Using a comprehensive desk review methodology, the research analyses 78 policy documents, international frameworks, and peer-reviewed publications from 2020-2025. The findings reveal significant colonial legacies embedded in Zimbabwe’s social protection system that perpetuate gender inequalities and exclude returnee migrants. Digital transformation initiatives lack gender-responsive design, creating additional barriers for marginalized populations. The research identifies five critical intersections where gender, migration status, age, disability, and rurality compound vulnerabilities. Key results demonstrate that 67% of female returnees face multiple barriers accessing social protection services, while digital initiatives have increased exclusion rates by 23% among elderly and disabled migrants. The proposed Transformative Intersectional Social Protection Framework (TISPF) integrates decolonial principles with digital inclusion strategies, offering a comprehensive approach to policy transformation. The framework introduces innovative performance indicators measuring transformative impact beyond traditional metrics, including empowerment indices and structural change assessments. Policy recommendations emphasize participatory design processes, algorithmic bias mitigation, and community-based implementation strategies. The research contributes to emerging scholarship on decolonial social protection theory while providing practical tools for policymakers. This pioneering study advances understanding of migration-development-protection nexus through intersectional vulnerability mapping and AI-informed policy design. The framework’s applicability extends to other post-colonial contexts, offering global relevance for transformative social protection initiatives. The research establishes new theoretical foundations for gender-responsive migration governance while addressing urgent practical needs in Zimbabwe’s evolving migration landscape.