The plight of women in protected villages of south eastern Zimbabwe during the liberation struggle for Zimbabwe (1970 -1980)

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is the exploration of the plight of women in PVs of South Eastern Zimbabwe during the liberation struggle for Zimbabwe 1970-1980. The study focuses on how the establishment of the PV strategy made uneasy life for the local people especially women. The PVs were introduced by the Rhodesian government as a counterinsurgency measure to contain guerrillas. In order to complete the research objectives, the dissertation is based on various case studies of PVs in the South Eastern Zimbabwe. The plight of women in PVs of SEZ remains a less researched area in the liberation struggle historiographies. Therefore this research shows that PVs did not protect women from war crimes. The gendered dimension of life inside the Keeps left women with no choice for survival. Women were sexually abused, raped, impregnated and infected with STIs by the DAs. The study shows that with shortages which characterised life in PVs, women encountered various problems which they suffered because they were women. The research wishes to inform implementers to identify strategies and mechanisms to address crimes and human rights violations the Rhodesian government committed during the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe against the local people especially women.