Budgeting for Women’s Rights in a COVID-19 Context: 2020–2021 Experiences from South Africa and Zimbabwe

Restrictions on social and economic activities marred the COVID-19 pandemic period. Interesting to note is that these restrictions had varied effects on different societal groups. Vulnerable groups such as women, people living with disabilities and children were the most affected. This article presents an appreciation of the gendered nature of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in South Africa and Zimbabwe. South Africa and Zimbabwe share the same history of women’s exclusion from economic, political and social participation. The effects of these exclusions are still apparent in society, and they leave women more vulnerable to human rights violations during pandemics. This article argues that women were the hardest hit by government restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there has been so much research on the effects of COVID-19 on women, a comparative analysis thereof has not been done, particularly on the selected countries. A comparative analysis helps improve existing affirmative action strategies because juxtaposing two cases can help each country learn best practices from another. The article offers a comparative analysis of women’s rights violations in South Africa and Zimbabwe during COVID-19 and provides a perspective of how the incidence of women’s rights violations can be minimised. It is recommended that a gendered budget may provide a solution not only in the process of recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but also in managing future pandemics. Gendered budgets help women to address their practical and strategic gender needs and they have women’s empowerment in mind.