Women Face Hardship as Living Costs Rise in Lusaka, JCTR Warns
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has raised concern over the growing gendered impact of the rising cost of living, warning that women are disproportionately affected as household expenses continue to climb.
According to the JCTR’s latest Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB), the cost of living for a family of five in Lusaka increased to ZMW 12,078.54 in March, up from ZMW 11,844.63 recorded in February. The rise was largely driven by escalating food prices, particularly vegetables, which saw a sharp increase from ZMW 628.26 to ZMW 778.87 for a 40kg bag.
Essential food items rose to ZMW 5,270.72 from ZMW 5,089.75, while non-food items also edged upwards to ZMW 6,807.83. The increase in charcoal prices from ZMW 716.67 to ZMW 750.00 per 90kg bag further compounded household financial pressures.
The organisation noted that while the cost-of-living crisis affects all households, women carry a heavier burden due to their central role in managing food security. Many are forced to adopt coping mechanisms such as reducing meal portions, altering diets, or sacrificing their own nutritional intake to sustain their families.
“These pressures are intensified by structural inequalities, including limited access to formal employment, wage disparities, and restricted ownership of productive assets,” the JCTR stated.
The rising cost of energy has also heightened challenges for women, who are primarily responsible for cooking. Increased reliance on charcoal not only raises household expenditure but also exposes them to health risks linked to indoor air pollution, while adding to time constraints that limit opportunities for income generation and education.
Despite indications of slowing inflation, the JCTR warned that purchasing power continues to erode, particularly among women in low-income and informal employment. Many remain excluded from social protection systems, leaving them vulnerable as living costs outpace earnings.
The organisation emphasised that these economic pressures have broader implications for social justice, equity, and inclusive national development.
To address the crisis, the JCTR has called for urgent implementation of gender-responsive policies. These include strengthening gender-responsive budgeting, addressing structural barriers in labour markets, expanding access to affordable clean energy, and improving the collection of sex-disaggregated data to better inform policy decisions.
Acting Social and Economic Development Programme Manager, Lukwesa Musonda, underscored the importance of inclusive policy responses.
“Ensuring that policy measures are gender-responsive is critical to safeguarding household welfare and promoting human dignity,” she said.
The JCTR stressed that advancing gender equality is not only a matter of social justice but also a key driver of sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, and national development.
