The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) has joined the global call for urgent action to address land degradation, desertification, and drought resilience, issues that are disproportionately impacting women in the country.
As the world commemorates World Environment Day 2024 under the theme “Reviving lands for a brighter future,” the women group noted that the year’s theme resonates with the current challenges facing Zimbabwe.
In their statement, as they commemorate World Environment Day, the women group stated: “This year’s theme resonates well with the current situation prevailing in the country, following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declaration of a state of national disaster due to the El Nino-induced subdued rainfall patterns.
“Approximately 80% of women in Zimbabwe depend on land for their livelihoods the severity and frequency of climate change induced weather events poses a serious threat to their livelihoods especially where crop production and animal husbandry play pivotal roles for survival.
“However, due to land rights uncertainty (less than 30% own land), and harsh policies which disfavor women’s access to land, women who are the custodians of the environment remain vulnerable to poverty and climate change induced shocks,” said Rudo Chigudu, the WCoZ Chairperson.
The women’s group is calling on the Zimbabwean government to address climate change as a key driver for droughts through increasing women’s leadership in environmental processes.
“Against this background that the women’s movement makes the following recommendations: The Government of Zimbabwe to address climate change as one of the key drivers for droughts through increasing women’s leadership in environment processes and mainstreaming gender in development and review of climate change short and long term strategies and policies,” the statement reads.
The organization also urged the private sector to “support in providing gender-responsive technologies to reduce women’s workload in the household as well as to support sustainable livelihoods including in Agriculture.
“The Zimbabwe Land Commission to publish the Land Audit report with disaggregated data, clearly showing the number of women benefitted from the Land Quota system and the measures are being taken to address the historic land gendered imbalances,” the statement reads.
The WCoZ futher stated that without effective policies and laws that directly address the impact of droughts and climate change on women, they will continue to be disproportionately affected through food insecurity, water scarcity, increased unpaid care and domestic work, and forced migration.
