Women’s rights advocates engage Parliamentarians on proposed legislation for unpaid care and domestic work – NewZimbabwe.com

📅 Published: August 26, 2025

📰 Source: newzimbabwe

Curated by AllZimNews.com

According to WALPE, an official date will soon be announced for members to debate the motion in the House.

The proposed law calls for the recognition of UCDW as legitimate work and seeks to ensure that women’s contributions to the economy are acknowledged and supported.

Speaking during a workshop with MPs and Senators in Harare recently, WALPE Executive Director Sitabile Dewa said unpaid care and domestic work falls mainly on women’s shoulders, limiting their participation in the paid economy and in society. “By recognising unpaid care and domestic work as legitimate work, the Bill acknowledges the valuable contributions women make to their families and communities,” she said.

Dewa highlighted WALPE’s six-year journey of advancing the UCDW agenda, which includes conducting national research, producing academic papers and newspaper opinion pieces, developing knowledge management toolkits, and using testimonials and documentaries to capture the lived experiences of women and girls.

During the same workshop, the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, led by Chairperson Maybe Mbohwa, and supported by male MPs and Senators, urged Parliamentarians to rally behind the Bill once it is introduced in both houses.

Over the years, WALPE has also facilitated cross-country learning and advocacy.

A leadership learning visit to Kenya brought together stakeholders including the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Padare Men’s Forum on Gender, Bekezela Home-Based Care and the Mayor of Harare to exchange strategies on UCDW policy reform.

The delegation gained valuable lessons from Kenya’s development of a National UCDW Policy.

In 2024, WALPE presented a Gender-Responsive Public Services “Dummy Budget” Proposal alongside the national budget process, urging government to invest in public services that recognise, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work.

WALPE has also hosted forums with private sector stakeholders, in partnership with Padare, to advocate for collective action in reducing and redistributing UCDW.

The lobby group’s work has been supported by Oxfam and IDRC/CRDI to ensure communities understand the importance of UCDW policies and their role in achieving gender equality and economic justice.

THE Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) and its partners have engaged Parliamentarians as they lobby for a motion on the Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) Bill. 🔗

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