Editing Zimbabwe (section)

=== Gender equality ===
{{Further|Child marriage in Zimbabwe|Polygamy in Zimbabwe|Human trafficking in Zimbabwe|Abortion in Zimbabwe}}
Women in Zimbabwe are disadvantaged in many facets including economic, political, and social spheres, and experience sex and gender based violence.<ref name=":22">{{cite web|url=http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/gender-equality|title=Gender Equality {{!}} UN in Zimbabwe|website=www.zw.one.un.org|language=en|access-date=2 October 2018|archive-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814054632/http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/gender-equality|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2014 UN report found that deep rooted cultural issues, patriarchal attitudes, and religious practices negatively impacted women's rights and freedoms in the country.<ref name=":22" /> These negative views toward women as well as societal norms impact the incentive for women to participate in the economy and hinder their economic production.<ref name=":22" /> Zimbabwe's constitution has provisions in it that provide incentive to achieve greater gender equality, but the data shows that enforcement has been lax and adoption slow.<ref name=":22" /> In December 2016 the [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]] conducted a case study to determine how to best implement effective policy to address issues such as gender violence and implementation of equality laws.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/effective-law-policy-gender-equality-protection-sexual-gender-based-violence-disasters-zimbabwe/|title=Effective law and policy on gender equality and protection from sexual and gender-based violence in disasters – Zimbabwe|work=International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|access-date=18 October 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=5 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205110239/https://media.ifrc.org/ifrc/document/effective-law-policy-gender-equality-protection-sexual-gender-based-violence-disasters-zimbabwe/|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was found that sex and gender based violence against women and girls was increasing in areas that had experienced disasters (floods, drought, disease) but could not quantify the extent of the increase.<ref name=":3" /> Some of the obstacles in combating these issues are that there are economic barriers to declaring sex and gender based violence to be unacceptable as well as social barriers.<ref name=":3" /> Additionally, governmental services which were installed to help educate the populace about these issues as well as provide services to victims are underfunded and unable to carry out their duties.<ref name=":3" /> The UN also provided economic incentive to adopt policies which would discourage these practices which negatively impacted women in Zimbabwe.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/7-women%E2%80%99s-empowerment-gender-equality-and-equity|title=7. Women's Empowerment, Gender Equality and Equity {{!}} UN in Zimbabwe|website=www.zw.one.un.org|language=en|access-date=18 October 2018|archive-date=5 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205003709/http://www.zw.one.un.org/togetherwedeliver/zundaf/7-women%E2%80%99s-empowerment-gender-equality-and-equity|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Women are often seen as inferior, treated as objects, and viewed in subordinate roles in history and philosophy.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Manyonganise |first=Molly |date=2015 |title=Oppressive and liberative: A Zimbabwean woman's reflections on ubuntu |journal=Verbum et Ecclesia |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=1–7 |doi=10.4102/VE.V36I2.1438 |issn=2074-7705 |doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Ubuntu philosophy|Ubuntu]], an African philosophy's spiritual aspect, instills the belief that boys should be more valued than girls as boys pass on lineage, and the belief system places high value in respecting one's ancestors.<ref name=":10" /> A common expression used in court, "''vakadzi ngavanyarare''", translates to "''women should keep quiet,''" and as a result women are not consulted in decision-making; they must implement the men's wishes.<ref name=":10" /> The subordination of women in Zimbabwe, and the cultural forces which dictate what they must be, have led to deaths and the sacrifice of professional advancement in order for them to fulfill their roles as wives, mothers, and subordinates.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=Chabaya|first1=O.|last2=Rembe|first2=S.|last3=Wadesango|first3=N.|date=1 January 2009|title=The persistence of gender inequality in Zimbabwe: factors that impede the advancement of women into leadership positions in primary schools|url=https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/44152|journal=South African Journal of Education|language=en|volume=29|issue=2|pages=235–251|doi=10.15700/saje.v29n2a259|issn=2076-3433|doi-access=free}}</ref> Women are taught that they must never refuse their husband's sexual advances, even if they know they are infected with HIV from being unfaithful.<ref name=":10" /> As a result of this practice, Zimbabwean women aged 15–49 have an HIV prevalence rate of 16.1% and make up 62% of the total population infected with HIV in that age group.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zimbabwe |url=http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/zimbabwe |access-date=4 December 2018 |website=www.unaids.org |language=en}}</ref>