CHENGETAI MURIMWA
Women in Zimbabwe perform more unpaid care work in the home and in the community than their male counterparts, a new study shows.
The study, which was commissioned by Sonke Gender Justice and Safaids, aims to raise awareness and improve information about unpaid care work that is done in households and communities.
According to the study, women and girls in Zimbabwe perform the majority of unpaid care work.
“The care gap is particularly pronounced within the home, where mothers bear the brunt of care responsibilities, while fathers are often preoccupied with productive work or actively seeking it,” said Tafadzwa Hove from Anokha Consulting Firm that conducted the research.
The report also shows that men and boys are frequently involved in tasks such as fetching firewood and water. However, when it comes to other care-related responsibilities such as preparing food, cleaning the house, looking after children, and accompanying a child to school—fathers are less engaged.
A proportion of men ranging from 44% to 56% have never participated in these forms of care work.
“Our findings show that men engage in care work as a last resort especially when their spouse is seriously ill or away from home because of other commitments such as church activities or family events,” said Hove.
The report also shows that there is a narrower care-giving gap in community work, women still shoulder a significant burden of community care responsibilities. Women care for the sick, provide support within families, and actively participate in community gatherings, including funerals, weddings, church events, and traditional rituals.
Additionally, women are more prominently involved in community development gatherings with non-governmental organizations, even when there is no direct financial gain. Although men are present in some of the community work and family gatherings, they necessarily provide secondary care and supervision rather than the primary care work.
Safaids Zimbabwe Program Assistant Clemio Magwenga said the finding will give them an overview of beliefs and attitudes of fathers over unpaid care work in Zimbabwe.
Magwenga said unpaid care work is work being done at home without being remunerated. Unpaid care work mostly impacts on women and girls because of the patriarchal nature of our society.
“The Zimbabwe State of Father’s Report will also be looking at how unpaid care work is contributing to Gender Based Violence including Intimate Partner Violence which is more significant in our society but it’s not recorded because most people don’t believe in intimate partner violence,” said Magwenga.
“We also want to look at gender equality from the report, so with these findings we are able to map the way forward in terms of creating gender equality opportunities. We want to create an environment where men and women have division of labor at home”.
Magwenga said the report will help come out with recommendations that will help educate young boys in the society to take up unpaid care work. He emphasized that there is a need to have a division of roles between men and women.
The Report will officially be launched in May this year.
