Gender and informal economies in rural Zimbabwe: pathways to a gender-responsive model

This paper presents a thematic literature review on gender equality, household livelihoods, and rural women’s participation in the informal sector in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2025. In a context of persistent economic instability, the informal economy has become central to rural household survival, yet women’s potential remains curtailed by systemic inequalities in access to credit, land, markets, and education. Guided by Feminist Economics (FE), the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF), and Gender and Development (GAD) theory, the review pursues three objectives: (i) to synthesise evidence on rural women’s informal economic contributions to household welfare and community development; (ii) to critically examine the structural constraints shaping their participation; and (iii) to propose a conceptual Gender-Responsive Livelihoods Model that integrates sustainability and gender justice. Findings underscore the dual burden rural women shoulder as both income earners and unpaid caregivers, often under precarious conditions with limited social protection. The review proposes a model that bridges empirical insights with policy relevance, aligning with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the National Gender Policy (NGP), and global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 5, and 8). The study concludes that gender-responsive, sustainability-oriented strategies are vital for advancing inclusive rural transformation and enriching scholarly debates on gendered livelihoods.