Dr. Witness Chikoko

Qualifications:

Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work, University of Zimbabwe, (2017); Master of Social Work Degree, University of Zimbabwe ( ); Post Graduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management,University of Zimbabwe( ); Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) Degree, University of Zimbabwe( ).

Academic Appointments:

Senior Lecturer

Research Interests:

Child protection, Social protection, Social development and Disaster risk management

Faculty: Social And Behavioural Sciences

Department: Social Work

Research Category: Behavioral Sciences

Biography:

Dr Witness Chikoko, is a social worker and a university lecturer/academic who has more than twenty years working experience. To date, he has published at least twenty-three (23) academic articles and book chapters in peer reviewed journals.He has a special research interests on child protection, social protection, social development and disaster risk management among others. As from January 2020, he has been a visiting Research Fellow in the School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland, and United Kingdom. Witness Chikoko has been appointed Research Associate in the Department of Social Work, University of Johannesburg, South Africa (January 2019 to December 2021). Witness’s doctoral study through street ethnography focused on substance abuse among the street children of the Harare Central Business District. Whilst working for ANPCAN Zimbabwe, in the year 2014, he participated in a Norwegian funded programme called Fredskorpset, where he was seconded to ANPPCAN Uganda for twelve months. Witness Chikoko also served with a number of organizations in different capacities. These included: Streets Ahead, Help Age Zimbabwe, UZ-UCSF, Care International, and Plan International among others.

Email: wchikoko@gmail.com

Phone: +263 242 772529127

Publications:

1. Zvokuomba, K., Kabonga, I., Chikoko, W., & Mwapaura, K. (2024). The Efficacy of Devolved Disaster Risk Governance in Zimbabwe: A Review of the Communication Approaches. The Palgrave Handbook of Language and Crisis Communication in Sub-Saharan Africa, 241-258.
2. Chikoko, W., Mhlanga, J., Matavire, P. C., & Mwapaura, K. (2024). Asylum seekers, Refugees and Social Safety Nets: Opportunities and Challenges at Tongogara Refugee Camp, Chipinge, Zimbabwe. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 1-10.
3. Chikoko, W., van Blerk, L., Hunter, J., & Shand, W. (2024). Realising capabilities for street young people in Harare, Zimbabwe: A new approach to social protection. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 25(1), 110-130.
4. Chikoko, W., Mhlanga, J., & Mwapaura, K. (2024). Resilience of Unaccompanied Refugee Children Under Foster Care: A Case Study of the Tongogara Refugee Camp, Zimbabwe.
5. Chikoko, W. (2024). Violence Against Children on the Streets in Sub–Saharan Africa: An Overview. The Palgrave Handbook of Violence in Africa, 501-519.
6. Chikoko, W. (2023). Ubuntu philosophy and sexual behaviours in Zimbabwe: Implications for social work. In Ubuntu Philosophy and Decolonising Social Work Fields of Practice in Africa (pp. 261-273). Routledge.
7. Mwapaura, K., Chikoko, W., Nyabeze, K., Kabonga, I., & Zvokuomba, K. (2022). Provision of child protection services in Zimbabwe: review of the human rights perspective. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1), 2136606.
8. Chikoko, W., Mwapaura, K., Nyabeze, K., Zvokuomba, K., & Snnedon, S. O. K. O. (2022). Challenges and opportunities for indigenous social protection systems in Zimbabwe: A conceptual review. African Journal of Social Work, 12(5), 249-256.
9. Mugumbate, R. J., Omorogiuwa, T. B., Chikoko, W., & Diraditsile, K. (2022). Letter from the African Independent Ethics Committee (AIEC): Advice for institutional ethics committees on process, roles, composition and decolonisation. African Journal of Social Work, 12(2), 59-65.
10. Chikoko, W. (2022). Resilience of Persons with Road Accident Disabilities in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Budiriro High-Density Residential Suburb, Harare, Zimbabwe. Journal of Urban Systems and Innovations for Resilience in Zimbabwe-JUSIRZ, 4(1), 283-300.
11. Zvokuomba, K., Chikoko, W., Kabonga, I., Mwapaura, K., & Nyabeze, K. (2021). An Ethnography of a Contagious Epidemic: Field Based Methodological Intricacies in the Zimbabwean Covid-19 Research Environment. AfriFuture Research Bulletin, 1(2), 47-61.

12. Nyabeze, K., & Chikoko, W. (2021). Socio-economic impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the informal sector livelihoods in Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 11(4), 231-239.
13. Chikoko, W., Nyabeze, K., Zvokuomba, K., Mwapaura, K., & Mhizha, S. (2021). The harmonized social cash transfer program in Zimbabwe: Achievements and challenges. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 13(5 (J)), 12-21.
14. Mwapaura, K., & Chikoko, W. (2020). The measures that may be taken or used to ensure the well-being of persons with disabilities induced by road accidents: The case of St Giles Rehabilitation Centre, Harare. ZAMBEZIA Journal of Humanities, 47(1).pp?
15. Chikoko, W., Mhizha, S., & Ruparanganda, W. (2020). Sex for drugs: A case of street children of Harare central business district. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 11(3-4), 134-141.
16. Chikoko, W., Mhizha, S., & Ruparanganda, W. (2020). Adolescent street boys’ car washing and parking of vehicles in the Harare Central Business District as urban resilience under austerity era. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 11(3&4), 206-214.
17. Kashora, P., & Chikoko, W. (2020). Value of adult education and learning on the wellbeing learner: A case for Zimbabwe Staff College. Zimbabwe Journal Of Educational Research, 32(1-2), 102-118.
18. Chikoko, W., & Ruparanganda, W. (2020). Ubuntu or Hunhu perspective in understanding substance abuse and sexual behaviours of street children of Harare Central Business District. African Journal Of Social Work/Special Issue, 10(1).
19. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2020). Sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse among the street children of the Harare central business district. ZAMBEZIA: Journal of Humanities, 46(1).p
20. Mzingili, T., & Chikoko, W. (2019). Indigenous parenting practices in child discipline: Nature and implications on social policy in Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 9(2).
21. Nyabeze, K., & Chikoko, W. (2021). Socio-economic challenges faced by informal traders: A case of Murahwa Green Market, Mutare. Journal of Urban Systems and Innovations for Resilience in Zimbabwe, 1(1-2).
22. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V. N., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2019). Early sexual debut and substance abuse among street children of Harare Central Business District, Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 9(1), 79-87.
23. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2018). The survival strategies of adolescent street boys of the Harare Central Business District. ZAMBEZIA Journal of Humanities, 45(2).
24. Chikoko.W, Ruparanganda.W & Chikoko. E. (2019). Multiple sexual partnerships and substance abuse among the street children of the Harare Central Business District.Journal of Social Development in Africa, 35(1),
25. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V. N., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2019). Early sexual debut and substance abuse among street children of Harare central business district, Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 9(1).
26. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2019). The challenges faced by social workers in fighting substance abuse and sexual behaviours among the street children of the Harare central business district, Zimbabwe. Journal of Public Policy In Africa, 6(2).
27. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2021). Oral sex and substance abuse among the street children of the Harare central business Dstrict, Zimbabwe. Review of Human Factor Studies, 25(1), 30-48
28. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2019). Reasons for street girl’s entry into commercial sex work of the Harare Central Business District. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 10(1-3), 74-84.
29. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2019). The techniques of advertising sex and signalling availability among adolescent street girls of the Harare Central Business District. African Journal of Women and Gender In Development, 1(1).
30. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., & Ruparanganda, W. (2018). Forced sex or rape and substance abuse among street children of the Harare Central Business District, Zimbabwe. International Open and Distance Learning Journal, 3(2), 23-34.
31. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chimhowa/Chikoko, E. (2018). The masturbation and substance abuse among the street children of the Harare Central Business District. Journal Of Interdisciplinary Academic Research, 1(1).
32. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & &Chimhowa/Chikoko, E. (2018). The use of traditional medicine in commercial sex work among adolescent street girls of the Harare Central Business District. DANDE Journal Of Social Sciences And Communications, 2(2), 75-87.
33. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W., & Chikoko, E. (2018). The role of Government of Zimbabwe in the preventing and rehabilitation of substance abuse and sexual behaviours among street children of the Harare Central Business District. Journal Of Public Policy In Africa, 6(1).
34. Chikoko, W., Muzvidziwa, V., Ruparanganda, W. & Chikoko, E. (2021). Unprotected sex and substance abuse among the street children of the Harare Central Business District. Journal of Gleanings from Academic Outliers, 7(1).
35. Chikokoa, W., Chikokob, E., Muzvidziwa, V. N., & Ruparanganda, W. (2016). Non-governmental organisations’ response to substance abuse and sexual behaviours of adolescent street children of Harare central business district. African Journal of Social Work, 6(2), 58-64.
36. Chikoko, W. (2014). Commercial 'sex work' and substance abuse among adolescent street children of Harare Central Business District. Journal of Social Development in Africa, 29(2), 57-80.