Being a Wife of a Climatic Migrant: The Expanding Effects of Climate Change on Rural Women Left Behind

Abstract

The research explored the impact of environmental migration towards women left behind by their husband in Chivi Rural Community. Environmental migration is basically conceptualised as the movement of people from one society to the other because the society of origin do not have weather conditions to support one`s livelihoods. The unsustainability nature of the rural community livelihoods has significantly forced majority of men to migrate to other countries to support their families left behind.  The women are being left behind in the Chivirural community as members of the family and the greater community. This would mean greater responsibilities for women in taking care of the remained family members through various forms, whilst men are responsible for supporting their families as well with various forms of remittances.   Considering that women are left within the context of community, and women demeaning patriarchal fibres of the extended family, it was of great interest to explore the economic, social and psychological challenges women in rural communities are facing due to their men`s migration. In exploring this social phenomenon, a qualitative methodology was chosen as the most appropriate methodological approach, with in-depth and Key Informant interviews adopted as data collection material from 25 participants, mainly women who have their husbands in diaspora. The data elicited have reflected that women in rural areas who have their husband in diaspora are facing enormous, social economic and psychological challenges, despite receiving remittance from their husbands. This is due to pressure posed by the extended family culture, struggling enterprising projects, lack of human rights specifically women`s rights, and deterioration of all forms of agricultural projects in the Chivi Community. On the other hand, the remittances of the diaspora husbands have proven to be useful for educated women who know their rights, who can manage small businesses professionally, who control amount of respect in the community and take their children towards the proper route of education. In short, migration has successfully changed the lives of people in many societies, but for Chivi rural community migration has proved to be a fiasco in improving community quality of life. This is attributed to lack of skills amongst those migrants, and also failing adaptive capacities for wives and families left behind.  This background therefore calls upon various local and international stakeholders to work in collaboration to come up with a comprehensive strategy that ensure the sustainability of the community livelihoods.