Marriage as a Survival Strategy: The Case of Masvingo, Zimbabwe

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Periodical article

Title:	Marriage as a Survival Strategy: The Case of Masvingo, Zimbabwe
Author:	Muzvidziwa, Victor N.
Year:	2001
Periodical:	Zambezia (ISSN 0379-0622)
Volume:	28
Issue:	2
Pages:	147-165
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Zimbabwe Southern Africa
Subjects:	female-headed households marriage Women's Issues Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Cultural Roles Marital Relations and Nuptiality Sex Roles sociology Survival strategies social environment women Masvingo (Zimbabwe)
External link:	https://d.lib.msu.edu/juz/737/OBJ/download
Abstract:	Marriage and marital hope are survival options for some female household heads in Masvingo, southern Zimbabwe. Generally, social networks, and in particular marriage and its variants, enable women to maximize their chances of urban survival. Research conducted from November 1994 to December 1995 indicates that social networks based on marital relationships were in a state of flux, as 62 percent of the women interviewed had been married at some point in their lives. They were now widows, divorcees or living with a man in an informal marital union ('mapoto'). The experience of the 50 women in the research sample demonstrates that pursuit of the marital strategy had different outcomes for different individuals at different times. Most of the women had seen and could weigh the benefits as opposed to the disadvantages of marriage and were convinced that marriage remained a viable option and a major survival strategy. Bibliogr., notes, sum.