With women in mind: Are they passive victims or active agents of civil strife? Reflections from the fast track land reform era in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine the extent to which women in Zimbabwe have been affected by civil strife and economic downturn. The paper seeks to show how in some instances women emerge as active agents in either perpetuating violence or positively responding to the impact of the civil strife to advocate for positive changes. Of interest to this paper are events emerging since the fast track land reform in the year 2000. Of great interest are such milestones as women’s participation in the rejection of the 1999 constitution; the fast track land reform programme; the 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2013 elections; and women’s participation in the inclusive government. These milestones and events have been anchored on, and sustained by women’s organizations such as Women Coalition Zimbabwe and Women in Politics Caucasus Unity. The paper concludes by highlighting instances where women have as a result of limited choices been forced to dispel their problems by desperately getting themselves into illegal activities which in reality exacerbates the civil strife in the country.

Key words: women, civil strife, conflict, violence, active agents, fast track land reform.