A Proposed Economic Model on the Nexus Between Social Capital and Women Economic Empowerment in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of social factors such as political, cultural, and religious beliefs on women economic empowerment in Zimbabwe (2021-2023). The study was prompted by low levels of women economic empowerment despite several initiatives by the government and non-governmental organisations to promote sustainable women economic empowerment in the country. A quantitative approach guided by the positivism philosophy was adopted for the study. The study drew women participants from six randomly selected provinces of the country, namely Masvingo, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland 
North, Bulawayo and Harare Metropolitan Provinces. Multi-stage cluster sampling was employed to select the study participants. The study collected data from 728 women respondents across the provinces. Data were collected using an ODK Collect application installed on android mobile devices. The application was configured to administer a structured 
questionnaire that was designed in Kobo toolbox. Data were analysed using SPSS. The analysis of data included descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, ANOVA, Chi Square tests of association, and multiple regression analysis. The study revealed that women in Zimbabwe 
are moderately empowered with an average empowerment score that is slightly above 50% of the expected thresholds.