Transforming discriminatory gender norms to build food security and reduce gender based violence in Zimbabwe
As part of its urban cash assistance programming in Zimbabwe, WFP has been offering 'Toose', a gender transformative approach that addresses some of the root causes of intimate partner violence, such as economic instability and harmful social norms.
-and-shingirai-(right)-showcase-their-detergents_wfp_christopher-charamba_crop2.jpg?sfvrsn=ad2fec0c_1 "Transforming discriminatory gender norms to build food security and reduce gender based violence in Zimbabwe")
In the small Lowveld town of Chiredzi, 433 km from Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare, Shingirai and Gertrude arrange branded buckets, tins, and bottles of detergents ready for the market. They sell to two nearby schools and within their community.
The pair participate in the World Food Programme’s (WFP) urban cash assistance and urban resilience programmes that target food-insecure households to provide immediate relief and build sustainable livelihoods.
In recent years, urban food insecurity has become increasingly prevalent in Zimbabwe, largely due to the country’s economic challenges, characterized by high inflation and rising food costs. Over 1.5 million people in Zimbabwean urban areas are considered cereal insecure.
“The cash assistance was helpful for my family. At the time, I had no job, my husband had left us, and we had few options. The money we received meant I could buy food and meet our basic needs. My family could eat,” Shingirai said.
In food-insecure contexts, the risk of violence against women and girls doubles. That is why WFP and its partners in Chiredzi offer a platform for gender programming that seeks to reduce gender inequality by transforming harmful norms, roles and relations.