Rights-based Resilience Capabilities of Female-headed Households in the Face of Climate Change in Zimunya, Zimbabwe

Climate change is posing serious challenges globally and Zimbabwe is not immune. It is manifesting in the form of droughts, cyclones and, in some examples, floods and its impact has fundamentally been felt by vulnerable groups such as women, children, people living with disability and the elderly in the society. The study examined rights-based resilience capabilities of female-headed households facing climate change in Zimunya communal area in Zimbabwe. A qualitative approach was adopted and data was collected through interviews, focus groups and content analysis. The thematic approach was also adopted for data analysis. The study established, that climate change related challenges confronting female-headed households manifested in droughts and excessive rains, which often led to flooding. Due to their vulnerable position in the predominately patriarchal Zimbabwean society, female-headed households were confronted with more hardships. Their exposure to the vagaries of climate change related challenges, consequently affected their rights. The study recommended that government should take an active role in promoting rights-based resilience among female-headed households in Zimbabwe. Government should ensure that the rights of vulnerable groups are protected before, during and after the occurrence of a disaster.