Women and climate change induced water management strategies in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The multifarious effects of climate change are visible in arid and semi-arid rural African communities. These effects have disproportionately affected women, yet there are a few empirical studies that have investigated how women are being impacted. This study, therefore, investigates how women are disproportionately affected by climate change and the water conservation strategies that are being used to combat the effects of climate change. This research was conducted in Mudzi District in Zimbabwe, using a mixed methodology which is largely qualitative. The data was collected using in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and focus group discussions. Respondents to the questionnaire were selected using snowball sampling whereas purposive sampling was used to select participants of the focused group discussion and in-depth interviews. One of the findings of the study is that the notion that climate change affects women remains poorly understood in the literature. The experiences of women and the effects of climate change are treated the same. However, this study argues that although climate change affects women, not all women are impacted uniformly. The study found that variables such as the women’s age, marital status, education, social status, and (dis)ability. determine the degree of exposure to the climate change effects. Furthermore, the study found that the effects of climate change undermine women’s livelihoods which are climate-sensitive thus leading to accelerated constraints such as increased poverty due to poor yields. Moreso, the effects of climate change have increased water scarcity which has induced water management strategies. From this research, indigenous water conservation strategies which include but are not limited to water rationing, water harvesting, water recycling, and the drying of vegetables were identified. The aim was to document the strategies and to make them considered for climate mitigation actions. Moreover, an inclusive continuous plan of action that addresses the disproportionate vulnerability of women to the vagaries of climate change is vital to ensure sustainable livelihoods.