Zimbabwe women told to stop using contraceptives and bear more children

Zanu PF Secretary for Women's League and Senate President Mabel Chinomona has drawn the ire of poorly remunerated Zimbabwean workers by telling women to stop using contraceptives and bear as many children as possible.

Chinomona made the statement at a recent ZANU PF Women's League gathering in Murehwa West constituency. She argued that soldiers were few and the country needed farmers, doctors and nurses to sustain the economy. She told women to reject family planning methods in favour of larger families.

"Our soldiers are now few; we need farmers, doctors, and nurses while you are busy swallowing those pills," said Chinomona.

She criticised young couples for preferring to have one or three children.

However, the Agriculture Workers Association of Zimbabwe (AWAZ) Secretary, General Julius Dzarira, expressed shock at the statement which he said lacked empathy and understanding of the Zimbabwe law concerning maternity leave.

Dzarira said maternity leave provisions for example restricted child bearing by making tough conditions for women. He said Statutory Instrument (SI) 1 of 2000 denies women who have not completed one year probation full salary when on maternity leave.

The law also limits paid maternity leave benefits to women for only their first three children. Dzarira said a genuine call for increased birth rate must be preceded by a review of the Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000.

Dzarira also said that Chinomona's call contradicts the economic situation on the ground where Zimbabwe has 90% unemployment and its migration rate is one of the highest in the world. Higher child bearing only brings more misery to the nation; with more poverty, higher unemployment and increased economic refugees all over the world.

Zimbabwe's fertility rate has significantly decreased since independence in 1980 when the average number of children per woman was seven. By 2006, this number had dropped to between 3.6 and 3.8.