The Impact of social media on women’s political participation. A focus on 2018 and 2023 general elections in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Author
Gwezere, Brita
Title
The Impact of social media on women’s political participation. A focus on 2018 and 2023 general elections in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to analyse the impact of social media on women's political participation, looking into Zimbabwe's 2018 and 2023 general elections. Women’s political participation in Zimbabwe is still low and with emphasis on the relationship between gender and social media, this study attempts to close this gap by examining the distinctive way in which social media either positively or negatively impact women’s political participation, specifically focusing on women in Harare during the 2018 and 2023 general elections in Zimbabwe. The need to create solutions that would increase women’s political participation in Zimbabwe was the driving force behind this research. The literature review of the study is a construction of relevant studies and the researcher’s point of view. The methodological technique employed in this study was a model of positive research combined with quantitative analysis. The researcher utilized the survey research design and collected data using structured questionnaire. Data was evaluated using statistical methods to determine main scores and standard deviations and hypothesis were tested using correlations and regression model. The study findings reflected that there is a significant association between social media’s influence on political awareness and women’s involvement in political discourse. Overall, the findings illustrate that while legal frameworks like the Cyber and Data Protection Act have a role to play in safeguarding women’s political rights, but their impact is currently constrained by low awareness and understanding. The study concludes with recommendations on strategic investments in digital literacy, cybersecurity education, and targeted sensitization campaigns around legal protections which can amplify women’s political agency and contribute to a more inclusive democratic process in Zimbabwe.
Date
June 2025
Publisher
BUSE
Keywords
social media
2018 and 2023 general elections
gender
Supervisor
Dr Makambanga
Item sets
Department of Sustainable Development
Media
brita Gwezere.pdf

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