Exploring water-gender-health nexus in human settlements in Hopley, Harare

ABSTRACT

The study uses the case of Hopley, Harare, to reflect on the challenges of accessing water in the area and how this affects women and children regarding gender inequality. We argue that there is an intricate interplay between water, gender and public health as water takes on a gendered dimension. Through the lens of the Moser gender analytical framework and social justice theory, we analyse the interplay of water-gender health by examining gender roles and implications of water use and access and public health. This interplay is critical as it provides research and policy insights for enhancing the liveability of human settlements. A mixed method research design is adopted through which data is collected from both primary and secondary data sources. The findings reveal that water quantity and quality scarcity is prevalent in Hopley. This scarcity disadvantages women and girls are responsible for household water tasks. Subsequently, beyond the water-bone diseases, women and girls are more vulnerable to emotional, physical, and psychological stress associated with accessing water. We conclude that the gendered roles and perceptions rooted in patriarchal societal values and norms perpetuate social injustices among women and girls presenting an unescapable interconnectedness of water-gender-health.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• Hopley Farm Settlement
• Harare
• public health

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge that the manuscript is based on the PhD thesis by Abraham R Matamanda titled “Exploring emerging human settlement forms and urban dilemmas nexus: Challenges and insights from Hopley, Harare, Zimbabwe”, supervised by Professor Thulisile N Mphambukeli and Professor Innocent Chirisa. An earlier version of this manuscript was presented at the Water, Food and Health Nexus in BRICS Plus: Problems, Progress and Prospects BRICS-Plus International Conference, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. 2-5 August, 2018. The assistance from Professor Annette Wilkinson who reviewed an earlier draft of the manuscript is greatly appreciated. The comments from the two reviewers and handling editor have been instrumental in refinement of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abraham R Matamanda

Abraham R Matamanda is an Urban and Regional Planner who has also been trained as a social ecologist. Abraham is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Geography, University of Free State. His current research focus on climate change adaptation, informal urbanism in the Global South, medical geography, planning for urban food systems and urban political economy. Abraham has published at least 30 articles, 20 book chapters, 1 co-edited book titled Urban Geography in Postcolonial Zimbabwe: Paradigms and perspectives for sustainable urban planning and governance published with Springer Nature in 2021. His recent publication is a book he coauthored titled Housing and technology: Special focus on Zimbabwe published with Springer Nature in 2022.

Thulisile N Mphambukeli

Thulisile N Mphambukeli holds a PhD in urban and regional planning, from the University of the Free State. Thulisile is currently affiliated with the University of Johannesburg, Department of Town and Regional Planning where she serves as an associate professor. She was a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences in Italy (hosted at University of Konstanz, Germany) and a University of the Free State Rector’s Prestige Scholar. Dr. Mphambukeli is an alumnus of the Brown International Advance Research Institute (BIARI) at Brown University, USA, and the Public Affairs Research Institute, University of Witwatersrand. She is a recipient of many research grants and awards, such as the BRICS Think Tank Academic Forum Grant, NRF Knowledge Interchange and Collaboration (KIC) Individual Travel Grant (South Africa), the Herrenhausen Conference Travel Grant (Germany), and BRICS Think Tank Academic Forum Seed Funding (South Africa). She has published extensively in local and international journals.

Innocent Chirisa

Innocent Chirisa is a Full Professor in Environmental Planning and Management and Urban and Regional Planning. Has a keen interest in urban and peri-urban dynamics. Currently focusing on environmental systems dynamics with respect to land-use, ecology, water and energy. Holds a DPhil in Social Sciences. Prof Chirisa is also currently a Research Fellow with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, South Africa. He is currently the Pro Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU).