For generations, the story has been the same. A young woman builds a life, a home, and a family with her partner. She invests her time, her labour, and her love. But because their union was not registered under a specific law, when the relationship ends or her partner dies, she is treated like a stranger. In-laws descend, grabbing the property, the assets, even the very roof over her head, leaving her and her children with nothing.

This profound injustice, this theft of a woman’s life work, has been a source of deep outrage for us at the Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD). But today, fueled by love for our sisters and our relentless fight for their Right of Way, we celebrate a monumental shift. The Marriages Act of 2022 is here, and it’s a game-changer.

This isn’t just another piece of paper. This is a weapon for justice.

First, the Act slams the door shut on child marriage. It sets the minimum age for any marriage at 18, period. No exceptions, no loopholes. It makes it a crime for anyone—a parent, a relative, a community leader—to force or facilitate the marriage of a girl. This is a massive victory, protecting girls from a practice that steals their childhood, ends their education, and puts their health at risk. It affirms what we have always known: a girl is a child, not a bride.

But the law’s most revolutionary step is its recognition of what it calls “civil partnerships.” This is for the millions of us—an estimated 70-80% of women in Zimbabwe—who are in long-term, loving unions that may not be formally registered. In the past, the law turned a blind eye to these relationships, leaving women completely vulnerable.

Not anymore.

The new law states that if you have been living with your partner in a genuine domestic relationship, you now have the right to claim a fair share of the property you acquired together if the relationship ends. The law finally sees you. It sees your contribution—the non-monetary work of caring for the family, managing the household, and building a home. It gives you the power to stand up to property grabbing and demand what is rightfully yours under the Matrimonial Causes Act, the same law that applies to registered marriages.

This is economic empowerment. This is dignity. This is security.

Of course, our work is far from over. A law is only as strong as its implementation. We know that patriarchal attitudes won’t disappear overnight. We know that many people, including police and local leaders, are not yet aware of these powerful new provisions. The government has also failed to create a new National Action Plan to end child marriage after the last one expired in 2021, a failure of political will that we must challenge with outrage and love.

This is where we, the young women of Zimbabwe, come in. Our role now is to breathe life into this law. We must learn our rights, share this knowledge in our communities, and support our sisters in claiming them. At IYWD, we will continue to work with our grassroots Ward Dariros, our partners, and our allies to monitor the law’s enforcement and hold our leaders accountable.

This law was won on the shoulders of the women who came before us. Now, it is our tool to forge a future where every young woman’s contribution is valued and her rights are protected. Our unions, our property, our rights. We will give ourselves way.