Duduzile Nyathi
Zimbabwean women engaged in informal cross-border trade are facing increasing levels of abuse, violence, and extortion at the country’s borders—often at the hands of the very officials tasked with maintaining law and order—according to Amnesty International’s latest annual report on the state of human rights.
The State of the World’s Human Rights 2025 report, released by Amnesty International in late April, reveals a disturbing pattern of exploitation of women who rely on small-scale trading across regional borders to support themselves and their families.
“Women cross-border traders continued to face violence, harassment and exploitation, including by border authorities,” the report states, directly implicating officials in the abuse.
These women, who form a significant part of Zimbabwe’s informal economy, frequently travel between Zimbabwe and neighboring countries such as South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique. With the formal economy in crisis and unemployment stubbornly high, informal trade has become a lifeline—but one fraught with risk.
The report highlights that women traders are especially vulnerable to abuse by police and customs officers at border posts.
“They were subjected to harassment, including demands for bribes and sexual favors, threats of arrest and confiscation of goods,” Amnesty writes, pointing to widespread corruption and abuse of power.
Some women reported being physically assaulted or denied passage unless they complied with unofficial demands. Others opted to avoid formal border crossings altogether, resorting to dangerous unofficial routes that expose them to even greater risks, including sexual violence and robbery.
“Some women reported avoiding official border crossings and instead using illegal crossings to avoid harassment,” the report notes.
The abuse at border crossings reflects a wider trend of systemic gender-based violence in Zimbabwe. According to the report, social norms and weak accountability mechanisms contribute to the daily threats faced by women and girls.
Amid these challenges, the report acknowledges some progress in maternal health. Zimbabwe has expanded access to treatment for obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition caused by childbirth injuries.
“In October, the government launched a maternal health centre offering free comprehensive treatment and psychosocial support to women with obstetric fistula,” the report notes, calling it a “significant step” toward addressing women’s reproductive health needs.
Amnesty International is urging the Zimbabwean government to take immediate action to protect women in the informal economy and bring perpetrators of abuse to justice. This includes training border officials, enforcing anti-corruption laws, and establishing safe reporting mechanisms for survivors.
As the economic crisis deepens—with nearly half the population facing food insecurity—millions of women are turning to informal trade for survival. But without meaningful protections, they continue to pay a dangerous price.
“The government must address the root causes of gender-based violence and ensure that women are not criminalized or exploited for trying to earn a living,” Amnesty concludes.
