Impact of the lobola paying practices on gender equality and women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe. a case of Mutasa District Ward 20
- Author
- Gope, Hayde H
- Title
- Impact of the lobola paying practices on gender equality and women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe. a case of Mutasa District Ward 20
- Abstract
- The Lobola paying practices in Zimbabwe have been a subject of debate and have raised concerns regarding their impacts and implications on gender equality and women's empowerment in Zimbabwe as it exacerbates the culture of patriarchal dominance. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of the Lobola paying practices on gender equality and women empowerment, using Mutasa district ward 20 (Zimbabwe) as a case study. A case study research design was used in the study and interviews and observation was used as research methods to collect primary data. The study comprised of a study sample of 30 respondents including the key informants who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. An interview guide and an observation checklist was adopted as the research instruments. The data was qualitative so it used a thematic analysis. The research found out that the major negative impact of Lobola payment on gender equality is patriarchal dominance. The research also found out that the major cause of ineffectiveness of the legal policies under Lobola comes from the fact that, there is no specific legislation on Lobola negotiation. The research also find out that education and awareness can be used as the chief solutions to address the negative impact of Lobola payment on gender equality. Therefore, the study recommends that people should advocate for legal reforms that protect women's rights and ensure gender equality within marriage and family structures and also to educate women on their rights, on what to do when their rights are violated and to know the difference between cultural practices and oppression. It is also necessary to ensure the continuation of women’s empowerment initiatives in the area so as to stay away from patriarchal dominance and promote women’s independence.
- Date
- 2024
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Lobola, women’s empowerment, gender equality
- Supervisor
- Ms. Ngwerume
- Item sets
- Department of Peace and Governance
