The
gender
wage
gap
in
Zimbabwe
has
had
a
detrimental
impact
on
women,
limiting
their
economic
independence,
reinforcing
social
inequalities
and
hindering
national
progress.
Although
women make
up
59.7%
of
the
labor
force
population,
they
continue
to
earn
significantly
less
than
their
counterparts.
This
persistent
imbalance
perpetuates
an
unstable
patriarchal
society
and
denies
women
full
participation
in
economic
growth.
Understanding
the
Gender
Wage
Gap
The
gender
wage
gap
refers
to
“the difference
between
median
earnings
of
men
and
women relative
to
median
earnings
of
men.” In
Zimbabwe,
factors
such
as
unequal
access
to
education
influence
this
difference,
with more
than
8,000
girls dropping
out
more
than
boys.
and
limited
job
opportunities.
For
example,
many
women
work
in
low-income
domestic
jobs
and earn
“less
than
$5.50
a
day.” Even
within
the
same
industries
as
men,
women
tend
to
less
pay
for
performing
similar
work.
These
statistics
are
only
a
partial
reflection
of
what
women
go
through
on
a
day-to-day
basis,
making
it
imperative
to
address
the
root
causes
of
this
inequality.
Root
Causes
of
the
Gender
Gap
in
Zimbabwe
-
Cultural
and
Social
Norms: Patriarchal
attitudes
significantly
dominate
many
communities
in
Zimbabwe.
Traditional
gender
roles
often
prioritize
men
as
breadwinners,
while
women
are
expected
to
take
on
unpaid
caregiving
roles.
For
example,
women
carry an
estimated
79%
of
the
burden of
water
fetching
responsibilities.
These
norms
reduce
women’s
career
prospects
and
hinder
their
advancement
in
the
workplace. -
Education
and
Skills
Gaps: While
gender
parity
in
basic
education
has
improved,
disparities
persist
at
secondary
and
higher
levels
of
education.
More
girls
than
boys
drop
out
before
completing
secondary
education,
largely
due
to
financial
pressure
and
gendered
expectations.
Moreover,
women
are
underrepresented.
Furthermore,
they
face
difficulties
in
accessing
high-paying, male-dominated
(71.21%)
careers such
as
STEM
(Science,
Technology,
Engineering,
and
Mathematics)
fields.
This
is
due
to
limited
access
to
resources
and
the
prevailing
belief
that
women
do
not
belong
in
the
field. -
Discriminatory
Work
Practices: Lack
of
enforcement
of
equal
pay
laws
and
limited
transparency
around
wages
in
Zimbabwe
contribute
to
the
gender
wage
gap
and
discrimination.
Women
are
less
likely
to
be
promoted
to
leadership
roles,
even
when
they
have
the
necessary
qualifications
and
experience.
Although
Section
65
of
the
2013
Constitution
guarantees equal
pay
for
equal
work,
enforcement
remains
weak.
Without
accountability,
the
gender
wage
gap
in
Zimbabwe
continues
to
widen. -
Informal
Employment: About
65%
of
Zimbabwean
women
work
in
the
informal
sector,
where
wages
are
often
low,
unpredictable
and
unregulated.
These
jobs
usually
do
not
provide
social
protections
such
as
maternity
leave,
pensions
and
health
care
benefits.
For
example, only
12.7%
of
women receive
their
maternity
benefits.
Informal
employment
significantly
contributes
to
the
gender
wage
gap
in
Zimbabwe.
It
traps
women
in
low-paying,
insecure
jobs
with
no
progression.
Steps
Towards
Closing
the
Gender
Gap
in
Zimbabwe
-
Policy
Reforms
and
Enforcement: Zimbabwe
introduced
the
National
Gender
Payin
2013
and
revised
it
in
2017.
Section
65
of
the
Constitution
states
“equality
in
employment
and
equality
of
remuneration
for
similar
work
among
men
and
women.”
This
policy
aims
to
eliminate
the
gender
disparities
in
economic
opportunities,
including
pay,
promotion
and
leadership
opportunities.
However,
implementation
remains
inconsistent,
and
more
work
is
necessary
to
ensure
it
applies
to
all.
In
the
education
sector,
the
revitalization
of
Zimbabwe’s
education
sector
has
led
to
the
launch
of
programs
to
support
female
leadership
and
mentoring
in STEM
departments,
helping
more
women
pursue
and
succeed
in
technical
careers. -
Empowering
Women
in
Leadership: The
Zimbabwe
Gender
Commission
(ZGC),
established
in
2014,
actively encourages
women’s
participation
in
politics,
business
and
decision-making
roles.
The
commission
works
to
challenge
stereotypes,
promote
women’s
rights,
empower
women
economically,
raise
public
awareness
and
investigate
gender-based
discrimination.
In
its
2023
annual
report,
the
ZGC
highlighted
a
key
achievement:
it
conducted
targeted
training
workshops
to
equip
women
candidates
with
the
skills
and
knowledge
needed
for
effective
political
participation.
As
a
result, 37
women
were
successfully
elected to
various
political
offices. -
Promoting
Education
for
Girls: The
Girls’
Education
Accelerator,
launched
in
collaboration
with
UNICEF
and
the
Global
Partnership
for
Education,
helps
girls
in
Zimbabwe
overcome
barriers
like
early
marriage
and
financial
hardship.
It provides
school
supplies,
menstrual
hygiene
products
and
scholarships.
Since
its
implementation,
thousands
of
girls
have
returned
to
school
and
progressed
to
higher
levels
of
education.
These
investments
equip
girls
for
careers
that
challenge
the
traditional
income
divide. -
Support
for
Informal
Workers: The
launch
of
initiatives
to
provide
protections,
such
as the
Women’s
Microfinance
Bank
in
2018,
enables
women
to
expand
their
businesses,
move
into
formal
employment
and
secure
financial
independence.
The
Bank
provides low-interest
loans to
women
in
financial
difficulties
to
empower
them
economically
and
socially.
By
2021,
more
than
40,000
women
had
accessed
financial
services
through
the
bank. -
Public
Awareness
Campaigns: Organizations
like
UN
Women
Zimbabwe
and
local
NGOS
run
awareness
campaigns
to
shift
public
attitudes
on
gender
roles,
such
as
releasing a
booklet
of
Impact
Stories to
encourage
support
and
collaboration.
Campaigns
focus
on
challenging
stereotypes,
promoting
shared
household
responsibilities,
creating
inclusive
economic
growth
and
encouraging
men
to
become
allies
in
gender
equality.
These
efforts
aim
to
reshape
cultural
norms
that
sustain
the
gender
wage
gap
in
Zimbabwe.
Looking
Ahead
The
gender
wage
gap
in
Zimbabwe
requires
further
addressing
to
eliminate
it
from
all
aspects
of
society.
Ongoing
initiatives
and
programs
have
provided
hope
and
empowerment
for
women
that
the
systemic
barriers
can
be
broken
down.
Empowering
women
benefits
not
only
them
but
the
nation
as
well,
providing
greater
stability,
prosperity
and
justice
for
all
Zimbabweans.
–
Blessing
Nkama
Blessing
is
based
in
London,
UK
and
focuses
on
Politics
for
The
Borgen
Project.Source:
Dismantling
Gender
Wage
Gap
in
Zimbabwe
–
The
Borgen
Project
Post
published
in:
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