Policy Fragmentation, Women’s Land Rights and Governance in Zimbabwe

A Feminist Policy Advocacy Approach

Authors

  • Newman Tekwa South African Research Chair in Social Policy, University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48346/IMIST.PRSM/ajlp-gs.v8i1.54611

Keywords:

policy fragmentation, women's awareness, land rights, national land policy framework, feminist policy analysis, Zimbabwe

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Land policy fragmentation continue to pose a severe challenge to women’s legal protection, awareness and access to land-related information. A feminist policy advocacy perspective reveals that many women continuing to lose their entitlements in both the communal and resettlement areas and advocate for gender-sensitive policy integration.

Context and background

The above comes in a context where the Malabo Declaration call for equitable access to land and secure land rights for women is coming to an end in 2025. Critical observers argue that in a deeply unequal continent, the much-needed transformation will require much more than mere declarations with the latter’s goals only achieved if implementation matches policy.

Goal and Objectives:

  • Assess the extent to which policy fragmentation, lack of coherent coordination among government departments creates barriers for women seeking to assert their rights in land.

Methodology:

A multi-method approach involving qualitative review of literature complemented by primary data collection through interviews. Thematic analysis constituted the main data analysis technique used to analyse the results presented in the paper.

Results:

Many Zimbabwean women in both communal and resettlement continuing to lose their entitlements with policy fragmentation and lack of coherent coordination among government departments creating barriers for women access to information and asserting their rights in land. It only through an integrated comprehensive gender-sensitive land policy framework that these challenges faced by women can be resolved.

Keywords

policy fragmentation, women’s awareness, land rights, national land policy framework, feminist policy analysis.

References

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Chambati, W., & Mazwi, F. 2020. Towards a National Gender-sensitive Land Policy in Zimbabwe: Issues for Consideration, Harare: SMAIAS & ZiLAN.

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Chingarande, S. (2008). Gender and the struggle for land equity. In Moyo, S., Helliker, K. & Murisa, T. (Eds). Contested terrain: Land reform and civil society in contemporary Zimbabwe. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa: S&S publishers. 275–304.

Commission for Gender Equality (2024). Exploring barriers to women’s access to communal land in selected provinces in South Africa. Commission for Gender Equality. Pretoria. https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Docs/tpap/9da1512f-5496-4b70-9304-f04ee4b028b5.pdf. Accessed 30 December 2024.

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OECD (2023), Toolkit for Mainstreaming and Implementing Gender Equality 2023, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3ddef555-en.

Paradza, G. G. (2010). Single women, land and livelihood vulnerability in an communal area in Zimbabwe. (AWLAE series; No. no. 9). Wageningen Academic Publishers. https://edepot.wur.nl/143808

Zimbabwe Gender Commission. (2024). Press Statement from the Zimbabwe Gender Commission on the International Day of Rural Women Date: October 15, 2024. https://zgc.co.zw/press-statement-on-the-international-day-for-rural-women-idrw/. Accessed 30 November 2024.

Transparency Women Report. (2020). Tackling gender inequality through access to information. Article 19. https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Transparency-Women-Report-WEB-FINAL.pdf. Accessed 29 November 2024.

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Published

31-01-2025 — Updated on 31-01-2025

Versions

How to Cite

Tekwa, N. (2025). Policy Fragmentation, Women’s Land Rights and Governance in Zimbabwe: A Feminist Policy Advocacy Approach. African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences, 8(1), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.48346/IMIST.PRSM/ajlp-gs.v8i1.54611

Issue

Section

Special Section: women and land governance

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