Lone Motherhood in Zimbabwe: The Socioeconomic Conditions of Lone Parents and Their Children

This paper explores the nature and characteristics of lone motherhood in Zimbabwe. We argue that endogenous and exogenous forces associated with failing economies and gendered public policy structures, practices, and initiatives exacerbated by HIV/AIDS and intermittent droughts have worsened national poverty with much more devastation experienced by lone mothers and their children. Using vignettes of lone parents drawn from Zimbabwe, this paper extends the perspectives on lone motherhood to show the extent of poverty experienced by lone mothers as well as the varied formations and structures of lone parenthood. The vignettes highlight the socioeconomic concerns for these families regarding inadequate income, lack of access to employment, lack of housing, and problematic governmental policies that affect the well-being of lone mothers and their families. We conclude with a discussion of the role of social policy in managing the context in which lone mothers and their families must live and function.