Women's economic empowerment for sustainable livelihoods through the land reform in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study explored the extent of women’s economic empowerment for sustainable livelihoods through the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in Zimbabwe, focusing on three wards in the Makoni district. The study addressed the paucity of information on the usefulness of land redistribution on women’s improved food security and disposable income. Using a qualitative case study, the researcher purposefully selected thirty female land beneficiaries to participate in focus group discussions and five land officers from government departments to be interviewed as key informants. Findings reveal that the FTLRP generally meant that men accessed more land than women. Women’s livelihood initiatives were hampered by their failure to access sufficient support from the government and external partners. Despite the government signing various charters purported to support women’s empowerment, there is still a lot to be done to achieve it.

Lolu cwaningo lwaluhlola izinga lwamandla okuthuthukiswa komnotho kwabesifazane ukuze kube nokuphila okusimeme ngokusebenzisa Uhlelo Lokusheshiswa Kokuguqulwa Komhlaba eZimbabwe, lugxile ezigcemeni ezintathu eMkhandlwini waseMakoni. Lolu cwaningo lwethula ukuntuleka kolwazi ngokubaluleka kokubuyiswa komhlaba kabusha okumayelana nokuvikelwa kokuthuthukiswa nokuphepha kokudla kwabesifazane nokuthola imali engenayo. Ukusebenzisa ucwaningo lwesigameko olubhekene nobungako bento, umcwaningi wakhetha ngenhloso abazuzi noma abahlomuli besifazane bomhlaba abangamashumi amathathu ukuba babambe iqhaza ezigxoxweni zeqembu ezigxile kokuthize kanye nenhlolokhono nezikhulu zomhlaba ezinhlanu ezivela eminyangweni kahulumeni njengabantu ababalulekile. Kuye kwatholakala ukuthi Uhlelo Lokusheshiswa Kokuguqulwa Komhlaba luchaza ukuthi abesilisa yibona abahlomula kakhulu ukudlula abesifazane. Izindlela zokuphila zabesifazane zavinjelwa ukwehluleka kwabo ekutholeni uxhaso olwanele oluvela kuhulumeni kanye nabambisane nabo abangaphandle. Ngaphandle kokuba uhulumeni asayinde incwadi ewumqulu enikezelana ngelungelo noma amandla okubhekiswe ekusekeleni kokuxhaswa kokuthukiswa kwabesifazane, kuningi okusamelwe kwenziwe ukufezekisa lombono.

Esi sifundo saqwalasela ubungakanani bokuxhotyiswa kwabafazi ngamandla ezoqoqosho abawanikwa ngenkqubo ekuthiwa yiFast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) eZimbabwe, kugxininiswa kwiiwadi ezintathu ezikwisithili saseMakoni. Esi sifundo salungisa ukunqaba kolwazi olumalunga nokuba luncedo konikezelo lomhlaba malunga nokuphuculwa kokuqinisekiswa kokutya nemivuzo yabafazi. Ngokusebenzisa isifundo esigxila kumgangatho ngokuthatha imizekelo yeemeko ezithile, umphandi wakhetha ngononophelo abafazi abangamashumi abathathu nababenikwe umhlaba, wabasebenzisa kwiingxoxo zamaqela, waqhuba udliwano ndlebe namagosa eSebe lezemihlaba. Okwafunyaniswayo kwadiza ukuba ngokweFTLRP amadoda afumana umhlaba omninzi ngaphezu kwabafazi. Intlalo nempilo yabafazi iqhwaleliswa kukungafumani kwabo inkxaso eyaneleyo kurhulumente nakumaqabane karhulumente angaphandle. Nangona urhulumente etyikitya izivumelwano ezininzi ezithi uxhobisa abafazi, kusekuninzi ekufuneka kwenziwe ukuze iphumelele loo njongo.