Re-conceptualising Womanhood and Development in Post-colonial Zimbabwe: A Social Conflict Perspective

Abstract

Gender conversations have attracted scholarly attention across disciplines. The pervasiveness of women oppression is attested to in many patriarchal societies, including Zimbabwe where male supremacy is widely accepted and normalised. Such gender constructions influence power relations and provide men with ample opportunities for growth and development while placing constraints on the roles and activities of women. The main thrust of this chapter is to interrogate and problematise gender relations in Zimbabwe in the context of national development narratives. Karl Marx’s insights from social conflict theory are utilised in the discussion and presentation of arguments in the context of womanhood and development in Zimbabwe. The study argues that the conception of woman as second sex, or second class Other positioned at the periphery of society, has impacted on socio-political and economic growth, in general, and female elevation, in particular. It has been realised that monolithic conceptions of woman and womanhood that promote gender differentiation in Zimbabwe not only hamper women’s growth but also limit national development in general. This chapter seeks to mobilise those in positions of cultural, religious and political authority so that they recognise women as active agents of socio-economic transformation that brings about national development. This will enhance their contribution towards the achievement of SDGs 1 (poverty) and 5 (gender equality).