Zimbabwe: Gender Laws Need Strengthening

Gender inequality remains a significant issue in Zimbabwe, despite efforts to address it through various legislative, social, and educational initiatives.

Development Diaries reports that despite decades of the Zimbabwean government’s dedication to the empowerment of women, there are still significant gender disparities in the country.

In a 2024 report titled Zimbabwe Gender Assessment, the World Bank noted that high rates of
gender-based violence (GBV), underrepresentation of women in wage employment, overconcentration in the informal labour market, high youth unemployment among women, and elevated levels of teenage pregnancies and child marriages persist in the country.

According to the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, almost one in three women in Zimbabwe between the ages of 15 and 49 had suffered physical violence, and approximately one in four had experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.

GBV is pervasive in Zimbabwe, with women and girls disproportionately affected. Factors such as cultural norms, economic dependency, and limited access to justice contribute to the prevalence of GBV.

Despite legal provisions and initiatives aimed at combating violence against women, many cases go unreported, and perpetrators often go unpunished.

According to the World Bank report, challenges in the implementation of GBV policies remain, and additional work is required to address the legal constraints facing women.

Even with a strong legislative framework in place to handle GBV, there are still operational and financial difficulties.

According to the 2023 Women, Business, and the Law (WBL) index, Zimbabwe ranks better than both global and regional norms in terms of the legal disparities that still exist between men and women. However, the country’s legislative progress continues to decline.

In addition to strengthening legal protections for expectant mothers and women, further work is required to overcome the legally binding barriers that prevent women from obtaining equal pay and benefits upon marriage.

While the fundamental components required to advance Zimbabwe’s gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) agenda are in place, issues with the inadequate funding provided to assist gender coordinating structures and mechanisms continue to exist.

It is understood that the Zimbabwe Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MoWACSMED) has received less than one percent of the national budget.

Also, the government’s capacity to adopt new gender policies and carry out current ones has been hindered by fragmented methods, capacity limitations, and programme implementation issues.

As the world marks 2024 Women’s Day, Development Diaries calls on the government of Zimbabwe to enact and enforce laws and policies that empower women and challenge entrenched gender norms and stereotypes.

Photo source: UN Women

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