The contemporary migration-development nexus appears distinctive and is growing and commanding a portfolio of resources sufficient to hard-wire relations between societies, economies and generations for a long time. Women are increasingly significant as national and international migrants, and it is now evident that the complex relationship between migration and human development operates in gender differentiated ways. However, because migration policy has typically been gender-blind, an explicit gender perspective is necessary. This paper attempts this, beginning with an examination of recent trends in women's migration, internationally and within nations with specific reference to Africa and Zimbabwe