Modern family on the Zambian Copperbelt

The family model promoted amongst Zambian mineworkers since the colonial period was based on a male breadwinner and a female housewife. This article examines the family dynamics in a context in contemporary Zambia of growing employment precariousness, declining incomes for men and increased labour market participation for women. It shows that, though wives still publicly present their husbands as breadwinners and family heads, their role in family decision-making has increased whilst their performance of household chores has decreased, and spousal relations have improved. In a context in which men’s jobs are uncertain and incomes inadequate, men have had to sacrifice their gender stereotypes to be more supportive of and cooperate with women, for their own economic security. It draws on interviews with 50 couples, a simple survey and participant observation conducted in the towns of Mufulira and Kitwe on the Zambian Copperbelt.