An Analysis of the Socio-Economic Experiences of Stay-At-Home Wives in Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

In the Zimbabwean society, many stay-at-home wives face many challenges. These include stereotypes that in-laws have about their sons’ money being abused and the laziness of stay-at-home wives. They always think that stay-at-home wives do not contribute anything meaningful to the household, because household work is undervalued and unpaid. They are given derogatory nicknames that show that they are worthless, yet they have very important roles within the household and family as a whole. This results in poor mental health, anxiety, low selfesteem and depression among housewives. Some have failed to inherit assets from their husbands because in-laws believe that they did not contribute financially, hence, they are vulnerable to poverty upon widowhood. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of stay-at-home wives with the aim of developing strategies to reduce the challenges they face. The objectives of this study are to explore the roles of stay-at-home wives, examine the challenges they face and assess the coping mechanisms that they use to overcome these challenges. This study uses a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews with 10 stay-at-home mothers. This study also includes two focus group discussions.