Zimbabwe: Women in Zimbabwe Push for Recognition of 'Invisible' Domestic Labour

What the report says

Women’s unpaid domestic labour has become a policy issue in Zimbabwe, where campaigners and lawmakers are pressing for recognition of the time spent on cooking, cleaning, childcare, fetching water and other household tasks. An RFI report from Mutare, in eastern Zimbabwe, said women and girls carry most of this burden, often limiting their chances to study, earn income or take part in public life.

The article centered on Cecilia Makumbe, a 43-year-old seamstress from a village outside Mutare, who said daily chores leave her too tired to focus fully on her business. Her routine reflects a broader problem in areas with limited access to water, clean cooking options and other basic services. A 2025 survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, cited in the report, found women spend more time than men on unpaid care, domestic and volunteer work.

Lawmakers in the National Assembly debated a motion on 20 August to treat unpaid care and domestic work as part of national development. Supporters want a comprehensive policy, more public spending on infrastructure and social protection, and a study to estimate the economic value of this labour and its contribution to GDP. The proposed Unpaid Care and Domestic Work Bill, drafted in 2024, has not yet been passed.

Women’s rights advocates say the goal is not payment for household work, but measures that reduce the load and make it safer and less time-consuming. Zimbabwean officials said the government is already promoting clean cooking technologies and solar-powered boreholes. The report also noted similar policy steps in Kenya and Rwanda, placing Zimbabwe’s debate in a wider African trend toward recognizing care work as an economic and gender-equality issue.