Information access for the marginalized

This paper investigates the impact of literacy on access to information by urban black women in Zimbabwe. Kariba, a small town located at the Zimbabwe’s North-eastern boarder with Zambia was used as the study site. Findings show that the women in Zimbabwe experience information needs but have limited access to information sources due to inappropriate levels of literacy, inter-alia other factors. This leaves the urban black woman with inadequate information that she may not access or process. The need to meet personal and family needs was identified as a major motivation for seeking information for urban black women in Zimbabwe. Areas of particular interest include education, health, childcare, politics, security, consumer issues and income generating projects. Women’s access to education and information should be enhanced. This calls decision-makers to develop strategies for action to boost literacy for women, manage available information resources and harness effort towards making them accessible particularly to the urban black women in Zimbabwe. While interventions may be multi-sectoral, the role of government is stressed in this paper.