Gogo Chimombe, a 55-year-old widow, wakes up before dawn to collect litter and recyclable materials around the city. Her backbreaking work puts food on the table for her family, but it’s a struggle. This is the reality for many women in Zimbabwe who survive on waste collection. However, gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) can change this narrative.
GRB, is a system being used by Zimbabwean councils to allocate resources and create budgets that consider the different needs and experiences of women and men. The government started implementing GRB in 2019 to promote gender equality and empower women. Gender Links, a regional organization, is supporting this initiative. By effectively implementing GRB, the government can promote gender equality and empower women in waste management.
Proper waste management is crucial, as poor management can lead to outbreaks like cholera. However, if well-managed, councils can create an economy in the town by managing waste. Women’s participation in waste management decision-making is vital, and Kwekwe City has made positive strides in this area with over 60 percent of women in decision-making positions. Efforts are being made to increase this number.
The community is however, calling for more involvement in waste management decisions. “There is a lot of untapped potential and money to be made through litter and effective recycling. But our council needs to involve the community more so that everyone benefits. Having a few women picking up litter isn’t what we can call maximising on waste and litter management, Advocating for gender-responsive budgeting and supporting initiatives that empower women in waste management, means a more inclusive and sustainable economy can be realised.” said Talent Moyo, a Kwekwe resident.
The Mayor of Kwekwe, Councilor Albert Zinhanga said as a council they are very conscious of litter and waste management. “At Amaveni dumpsite we have people screening our garbage and separating plastics for recycling and get some income. We now have women making an income through waste and litter management. They can now supplement their income through ethical means. We are also building a biogas system at our sewer plant to be able to generate electricity from that side,” he said.
Charity Ndhlovu, another waste collector, shares her sentiments: “This is my only source of living. I wish we could earn more from this tiring work. It’s hard, but I have no choice.” Women like Gogo Chihata and Charity Ndhlovu face numerous challenges in waste management. They have limited access to resources, lack training and equipment, and often experience gender-based violence. Despite these obstacles, they continue to work hard to provide for their families.
According to UNEP, 2018; Africa, as the second largest continent in the world, is experiencing a higher urban population growth resulting in a steep rise in the middle class. It is projected that there shall be an increase of municipal solid waste from 0.78kg per capita per day to 0.99kg by 2025. When coupled with various waste management challenges, there is an expected increase in mismanaged waste and pollution for the continent.
Thirty African countries agreed under the Bamako Convention, the regional instrument related to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, to strengthen management of hazardous waste including plastics and electronic waste (e-waste). They agreed to agreed to reinforce collaboration and create more synergies between the Bamako Convention and the global chemicals conventions. There is however, variation in the promulgation and enforcement of legislation across Africa, ranging from very little to comprehensive. The East African Community (EAC) Development Strategy recognized a lack of effective legislation, inadequate funds and services for municipal waste management, and the low priority given to solid waste management as major challenges facing member countries.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Zimbabwe is mandated to regulate, monitor and promote the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment. EMA’s Publicity Officer for Kwekwe Oswald Ndlovu emphasized the importance of separating waste at source and encouraged businesses to install bins and form waste management committees. “Items that can be recycled can then be sold to those who are in the recycling value chain, he said.”
Pursuing sustainable waste management approaches will ensure the realisation of AU’s Agenda 2063, Goal 7, which aspires for environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient economies within African communities. GRB can be a game-changer for women like Gogo Chimombe. By allocating resources and budgets that consider their needs, women can access economic opportunities in waste management. This approach can create a more inclusive and sustainable economy, benefiting entire communities.
According to the African Union, informal waste pickers actively recover valuable resources from the waste at minimal compensation to municipalities and private sector companies. This means that approximately half of the waste material generated in Africa remains uncollected within Africa’s cities and towns, where it remains dumped on sidewalks, open fields, storm water drains, and rivers.
It is noted that the primary causes of inadequate waste disposal and management in Africa include weak strategic, institutional, and organisational structures. This is perpetrated by limited skills that are essential to waste material management; inadequate budgets; feeble legislation and lack of enforcement necessary for waste management.
As Ndlovu says, “We need to work together to manage waste effectively and create opportunities for women like me who survive on waste collection.”