In Zimbabwe’s far-flung rural regions, untouched by the rapid pace of development, women and girls are faced with two crises, gender-based violence (GBV) and climate change. Recently, the GBV crisis has also extended into urban areas as a result of the El Niño-induced drought with the number of GBV cases surging to record highs.
Zimbabwe, like much of Southern Africa, is experiencing the harsh impacts of climate change. Lengthy droughts, erratic rainfall, and prolonged dry spells have decimated crop yields and made subsistence farming, the backbone of rural communities, even more precarious. In some regions, water scarcity and food shortages are not simply environmental challenges – they are also triggering social crises. The mighty Save River, which most local farmers normally use for irrigation, has dried up and water shortages are reaching an alarming level.
Drought worsens men’s violence against women
Traditionally responsible for water collection, food production, and household management, the daily workload of women and girls increases as natural resources dwindle. When women have to walk longer distances to find water or spend more time looking for food, their exposure to violence increases, both within the household and in public spaces.
In many cases, economic stress and household tension lead to violence from partners or other family members, as men struggle to cope with the loss of livelihood. In agricultural communities, men’s traditional role as providers is closely tied to their ability to grow food or earn money. Specialists argue that when climate change disrupts these roles, it can lead to a loss of masculinity which some men compensate for by asserting control through violence.
The Rural Young Women Support Network, which works with survivors of GBV in Chikomba District, stated:
“We see an increase in violence whenever there is a drought or poor farming season. Women are blamed for things beyond their control, like the scarcity of food or water.”
The result is a cycle of abuse with women being subjected to physical, emotional, and economic violence, it noted.
This is also confirmed by studies showing that financial and economic issues are key drivers of GBV indicating that when resources are scarce, men may feel powerless, turning to aggression as a form of control over women.
According to statistics provided by Musasa Project, a local non-governmental organization (NGO) that helps GBV survivors:
“the El Niño-induced drought has exacerbated household tensions, leading to a 44% increase in reported intimate partner violence” compared to 2023.
Memory Chakaipa, from Sakubva, a suburb of Zimbabwe’s third most populated city of Mutare, showed the camera the deep scars on her arm resulting from violent attacks. She steals food when hunger strikes and sometimes eats from trash cans or exchanges sexual intercourse for food which often ends in violence.
“Life has been hard for me and my three children, I have been prostituting in order to live,” she confessed.
See also: Tapping into the ecological impact of climate change in Zimbabwe
How drought amplifies GBV
A local NGO that advocates for girls’ rights in Zimbabwe, Shamwari Yemwanasikana literally translated as ‘A girl child’s friend’, explained that this drought has led to many cases of abuse especially in urban areas where water is scarce.
“We are receiving cases of GBV and sexual harassment on a daily basis due to shortages of water. With the El Nino-induced drought, the water crisis has skyrocketed. One borehole is serving about 500 households, there are now self-imposed marshals at borehole sites who manipulate and harass girls and women based on the authorities they have given themselves,” commented Esnara Kativu, the Shamwari Yemwanasikana Programs Lead.
Developing resilience
However, there are some rays of hope in the shape of regional efforts to address the relationship between GBV and climate change. In addition to ensuring food security via smart agriculture initiatives, groups such as Musasa, the World Food Programme, and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization are giving women more financial independence thus empowering them.
By introducing solar-powered irrigation systems and drought-resistant crops, these initiatives are helping women to mitigate the impacts of climate change while reducing their dependence on male breadwinners. With more control over their resources and income, women are better positioned to escape abusive situations.
In addition, local NGOs are working to raise awareness about GBV and offering counseling and support services to survivors. They are also pushing for greater community engagement to challenge harmful gender norms that perpetuate violence.
