Women, Religion and Leadership in Zimbabwe, Volume 1 An Ecofeminist Perspective

Zimbabwe has invested in women’s emancipation and leadership while articulating a strong Pan-Africanist ideology, providing a valuable entry point into understanding the dynamics relating to women’s leadership in Africa. It is also characterised by radical religious pluralism, thereby facilitating an appreciation of the impact of religion on women’s leadership in Africa more generally.

This volume reflects on the role of Zimbabwean women in religio-cultural leadership. It opens with an expansive literature review on leadership, with a specific focus on African women’s leadership in the context of global studies on leadership. The chapters then discuss the unique Zimbabwean women’s leadership roles in ecological conservation. Topics include disaster management, the SDGs, and ecological stewardship.

The book closes with examining women’s leadership among adherents of African Indigenous Spirituality, such as among the Shona and Ndau ethnic groups. It will appeal to scholarsacross management, women’s studies, religion, and cultural studies contemplating on African women’s leadership in religion as well as other areas of life.

Prologue- Interfacing leadership theories and African women’s diverse leadership roles.- 1. Introduction: Women, Religion and Leadership in Zimbabwe- Molly Manyonganise, Ezra Chitando and Sophia Chirongoma.- Section A: Zimbabwean women’s leadership in ecological stewardship.- 2. Theorising African Women’s Leadership: An Overview-Ezra Chitando.- 3.  The Leadership of Ndau women in healing the Earth utilizing religio-cultural resources: An African ecofeminist perspective - Tenson Mabhuya Muyambo.- 4. Affirming Positive Femininities through Responsible Ecological Leadership and Stewardship in Rural Masvingo, Zimbabwe- Amos Muyambo.- Section B: Religio-cultural factors impacting women’s leadership roles in Zimbabwe.- 5. Zimbabwean Women’s Leadership and Religio- Cultural Resources in Navigating Risk and Disaster Management: Some Lessons from Cyclone Idai- Mazvita Machinga.- 6.  Towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals in Zimbabwe: Christian women’s leadership in Gwanda district - Susan S. Dube and Sibiziwe Shumba.- 7. Gender Discrepancies in Zimbabwean Religio- Cultural and Political Leadership: A Case Study of Young Christian Women in the Midlands Province- Sophia Chirongoma and Mpumelelo Moyo.- 8.  Of women’s leadership in African Indigenous Spirituality: A Focus on the Ndau of South Eastern Zimbabwe- Macloud Sipeyiye and Elijah E. N. Dube.- 9. Shona Women and Traditional Healing- Bernard Pindukai Humbe.- 10. Afterword- Tying the strands on African Women, Religion and Leadership.

Molly Manyonganise is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at the Zimbabwe Open University. Her research interests comprise religion and politics, gender and religion, religion and sexuality, African Indigenous Religion(s) as well as African Christianity.

Ezra Chitando is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Zimbabwe.

Sophia Chirongoma is Senior Lecturer in the Religious Studies Department at Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Her research interests and publications focus on the interface between culture, ecology, religion, health and gender justice.