News / National
Number of women filing to end marriages soars
24 Jul 2025 at 14:39hrs | Views

Zimbabwe is witnessing a sharp increase in the number of women initiating divorce, according to the latest national data. A new survey shows that nearly 100,000 more women are now divorced or separated compared to figures from a decade ago.
Findings from the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) reveal that 12% of women aged 15 to 49 are now divorced or separated, a significant rise from just 5% in 2015. This demographic accounts for roughly 186,000 women, up from about 86,000 previously.
"We had 12% of women aged 15 to 49 who were divorced or separated," a ZDHS representative explained. "In 2015, it was 5%. That's an increase of nearly 100,000 women over less than ten years."
Experts attribute the surge to various social and economic changes. While infidelity remains a major cause, many women are now better informed about their legal rights, empowered to leave abusive or unhappy marriages, and financially self-sufficient.
"Women are quite aware, most of them, of the laws and policies they can lean on whenever there's abuse," a social commentator told ZTN. "If you're not meeting my happiness, if you're not meeting my needs, why do I have to stay?"
The rise in economic empowerment is also seen as a major driver.
"Women are now economically independent," one panelist added. "They know ‘no' means ‘no', and they fight for that."
Counsellors say the trend points to deeper issues within the institution of marriage and are calling for reforms, especially in how couples prepare for marriage.
"If people can try and go for premarital counselling, that would be so good," a family therapist advised. "A lot of people don't know how to resolve conflict. It becomes a win-lose instead of a win-win."
There is also growing concern about the lack of emotional and social readiness among men.
"The boy child must be taught and checked if they are mature enough for marriage," one speaker said. "Men are failing to discharge the duties expected of a husband."
The findings raise important questions about how marriage is understood and approached in modern Zimbabwe. Commentators on the ZTN panel pointed out the tension between traditional roles and modern realities, with many couples struggling to align expectations.
"When we got married at 20, we were two people," said one panellist. "By 30, we're completely different. Communication and understanding need to evolve too."
As the country comes to grips with this new wave of divorces, experts are calling for a nationwide dialogue on modern marriage expectations, especially among the youth. While traditional roles are evolving, the fundamentals - communication, respect, partnership - remain vital.
Counsellors say it is not about pointing fingers at either men or women, but about learning and evolving together.
"We need to teach both boys and girls how to be partners, not just providers or dependents. If we want strong families, we need strong, informed individuals."
The message is clear: Zimbabwean marriages are changing. Whether that change leads to stronger unions or more separation may depend on how well society prepares the next generation for love, partnership and growth.
Findings from the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) reveal that 12% of women aged 15 to 49 are now divorced or separated, a significant rise from just 5% in 2015. This demographic accounts for roughly 186,000 women, up from about 86,000 previously.
"We had 12% of women aged 15 to 49 who were divorced or separated," a ZDHS representative explained. "In 2015, it was 5%. That's an increase of nearly 100,000 women over less than ten years."
Experts attribute the surge to various social and economic changes. While infidelity remains a major cause, many women are now better informed about their legal rights, empowered to leave abusive or unhappy marriages, and financially self-sufficient.
"Women are quite aware, most of them, of the laws and policies they can lean on whenever there's abuse," a social commentator told ZTN. "If you're not meeting my happiness, if you're not meeting my needs, why do I have to stay?"
The rise in economic empowerment is also seen as a major driver.
"Women are now economically independent," one panelist added. "They know ‘no' means ‘no', and they fight for that."
Counsellors say the trend points to deeper issues within the institution of marriage and are calling for reforms, especially in how couples prepare for marriage.
There is also growing concern about the lack of emotional and social readiness among men.
"The boy child must be taught and checked if they are mature enough for marriage," one speaker said. "Men are failing to discharge the duties expected of a husband."
The findings raise important questions about how marriage is understood and approached in modern Zimbabwe. Commentators on the ZTN panel pointed out the tension between traditional roles and modern realities, with many couples struggling to align expectations.
"When we got married at 20, we were two people," said one panellist. "By 30, we're completely different. Communication and understanding need to evolve too."
As the country comes to grips with this new wave of divorces, experts are calling for a nationwide dialogue on modern marriage expectations, especially among the youth. While traditional roles are evolving, the fundamentals - communication, respect, partnership - remain vital.
Counsellors say it is not about pointing fingers at either men or women, but about learning and evolving together.
"We need to teach both boys and girls how to be partners, not just providers or dependents. If we want strong families, we need strong, informed individuals."
The message is clear: Zimbabwean marriages are changing. Whether that change leads to stronger unions or more separation may depend on how well society prepares the next generation for love, partnership and growth.
Source - online