ZCTU decries inequalities facing women

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has bemoaned the endless inequalities bedeviling women and implored policy makers to approach these problems with seriousness.

In her keynote address to mark the belated 2026 International Women’s Day Saturday, ZCTU Secretary General, Tirivanhu Marimo, decried the problems bedeviling women underscoring that despite efforts made so far, challenges still persist.

The workers’ event was held under the theme “Give Opportunities, Gain Equality: Advancing Women’s Economic Justice” in line with the global campaign for International Women’s Day 2026, which centres on the idea that society thrives when it systematically invests in women’s economic rights and opportunities.

Marimo argued that all the rights guaranteed to women through the national laws and international global conventions are under siege.

“Women are primarily employed as casual or seasonal workers, depriving them of job security, formal contracts, and benefits. In the agricultural sector, female workers often receive lower wages compared to men and, in some cases, earn only two-thirds of their male counterparts.

“As non-permanent workers, many are not registered with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), meaning they have no access to pensions or maternity protection,” Marimo said.

He underscored that there are frequent reports of a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and exposure to hazardous pesticides with evidence showing that female farmworkers are vulnerable to sexual harassment, which is often unreported due to a lack of legal recourse over and above the common hostile work environments confronting women across the economic sectors.

“Women face a “double burden” of reproductive work (cooking, cleaning, caregiving) and productive agricultural labour, often working 16 to 18 hours a day. Economic stress from drought and low income has been directly linked to increased domestic violence, with cases rising during poor farming seasons.

“In times of severe hunger and economic failure, girls are sometimes withdrawn from school and married off to cope with financial hardship. All these problems can be solved if we all work together in the fight for better working conditions,” added Marimo.