A Gender Audit of Health By-Laws for the Cities of Bulawayo, Harare, Masvingo and Mutare Local Authorities

Presents a gender audit of the municipal health by-laws of four Zimbabwean cities, assessing them as local legal instruments under s276 of the Constitution. Examines how the by-laws affect gender equality in access to water, sanitation, health services and livelihoods, finding them largely environmental and prohibitive in orientation and disadvantageous to women, and calls for gender-responsive reform.

•  By-laws are “steeped in prohibition rather than enablement” because the Public Health Act is not aligned to the Constitution.
• By-laws tend to benefit men most and are not inclusive on water, sanitation and health access.
• Cities lack provisions regulating access to health services such as maternity and under-5 care.
• Restrictions (rainwater harvesting, boreholes, trading licences) disproportionately burden women.

• Reform by-laws to address the health, sanitation and livelihood needs of women and vulnerable groups.
• Flexibly regulate livelihood activities such as street trading and urban agriculture.
• Add explicit provisions on access to health services consistent with constitutional rights.
• Make by-law formulation participatory, involving vulnerable groups and gender expertise.