The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) commemorated International Day of Care with a strong emphasis on the often-overlooked contributions of unpaid caregivers. The event, held at Harare’s Holiday Inn Hotel, shed light on the essential but undervalued role of women in sustaining families and communities through caregiving.
Ms. Kumbirai Kahiya, Vice Chairperson of WCoZ, voiced concerns about the burdens of unpaid care work, which overwhelmingly fall upon women. According to the International Labour Organization, women perform approximately 76% of unpaid care work worldwide, more than triple the amount done by men. Kahiya emphasized that this imbalance reinforces gender inequality by limiting women’s access to education and economic opportunities.
The WCoZ has called for structural changes to ensure that unpaid caregiving receives appropriate recognition and support. “Policy frameworks that recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work are necessary for advancing gender equality and empowering women,” Kahiya stated. By advocating for these changes, WCoZ aims to bring attention to the economic stability, health outcomes, and social cohesion that are bolstered by caregiving work.
For Kahiya, a key step is implementing gender-sensitive employment protections and ensuring these policies consider the unique challenges that women face. She also highlighted the importance of affordable and accessible care services, which could alleviate the caregiving load on women, enabling them to pursue education and career opportunities.
In its recommendations, WCoZ supports the enactment of the Unpaid Care Work (UCDW) policy in Zimbabwe. This policy would promote investments in infrastructure and technologies that save time, along with gender-responsive budgeting to build a support system around unpaid caregiving. Further, the coalition argues that as the country strives towards Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality), policy reforms are essential to ensure caregivers have support and visibility.
The coalition underscored that investing in care services fosters economic growth and enhances societal well-being. “When we invest in care, we not only strengthen the economy but also create a foundation for a more equitable society,” Kahiya added.
To bolster this goal, the Executive Director of the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) advocated for inclusive policies and initiatives that support caregivers. The vision includes enhancing skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities to make economic independence more accessible.
WCoZ’s rallying call to policymakers underscores the urgent need to value and support unpaid caregivers as a foundation for a balanced, resilient Zimbabwean society.
