This study explores the development challenges that rural women are facing in South Africa
and the three Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) namely, Namibia, Swaziland
and Zimbabwe. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach since this design was
deemed most appropriate.
The objectives of the study are to explore how women assess their situation in South Africa
and the three SADC countries with regards to their socio‐economic realities. It is widely
known that in many households, especially blacks, men leave home for urban areas in
search of employment, leaving behind women to maintain the entire household on their
own. Despite the significant role played by women, they are faced with problems such as
those experienced by rural women in Sub‐Saharan countries.
The study also endeavours to explore the most important development challenges of rural
women in relation to education, health facilities, food insecurity, poverty, access to water
and sanitation, the participation in the economy and politics, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and
the impacts of climate change.