Climate-induced water stress and gendered vulnerabilities: An exploration of women’s adaptive strategies in Urban Zimbabwe

Abstract

Climate change-induced water scarcity in Africa is magnifying pre-existing gender inequalities, particularly in urban settings where women disproportionately shoulder the burden due to socio-cultural roles and economic marginalisation. This qualitative case study, grounded in Social-Ecological Resilience Theory, explored the gendered dimensions of water insecurity and adaptive strategies among low-income women in Makokoba, one of Bulawayo’s oldest high-density suburbs. Drawing on insights from 30 in-depth interviews, 8 key informants, and 2 focus group discussions with women aged 18 to 60 years, the study identified four critical vulnerability domains: the feminisation of water collection, deteriorating urban water infrastructure, socio-economic precarity, and limited climate risk awareness. In navigating these challenges, women employ a spectrum of adaptive strategies, including water rationing, informal rotational water collection systems, grey-water reuse, and community-based water-sharing networks. Although these practices reflect agency and resilience, they remain largely informal, inequitable, and unsustainable without institutional support. The findings highlight a persistent gap between policy frameworks and lived experiences, with many water governance policies failing to address gender-specific needs. The study calls for urgent investment in gender-responsive infrastructure, inclusive water governance, and locally grounded capacity-building interventions. By centering women’s voices and everyday realities, this research contributes to broader discourses on equitable urban climate adaptation and resilience in Southern Africa.