The Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining (ZAWINA) have raised concerns about the challenges women face in accessing vital information and funding within the mining sector. Despite efforts from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association and Action AIDA, the government’s role in providing accessible information remains lacking.
ZAWIMA Patrion Blessings Hungwe emphasized the necessity for government involvement at the grassroots level to engage communities and miners, ensuring vital information reaches those who need it most.
“I can’t say the government is doing enough, it should make this information about mining especially to Artisan Small scale miners very much accessible
“In most cases non- governmental organization like Zimbabwe Environmental law associated including Action AID, MaVal, those who are actually unlocking information, giving women information more than our own government, directly trying to engage minors are playing a crucial role in information dissemination,” she added .
Hungwe highlighted a significant disparity in accessing funding, citing a limited number of women benefiting from loans offered by fidelity printers between 2015 and 2016. Despite millions available, only a handful of women managed to access funds due to barriers such as stringent security requirements, often unattainable for many women who lack property titles held predominantly by men.
This glaring gap underscores the urgent need for more inclusive funding mechanisms tailored to address the specific challenges faced by women in the mining industry.
The absence of a clear definition for small-scale miners in the Mines and Minerals Act further complicates matters, leaving many miners, particularly women, uncertain about their status and rights within the sector.
Hungwe’s advocacy for clarity on this issue reflects the broader sentiment among women miners who feel marginalized and underserved by current legislative frameworks.
” The Mines and Minerals act does not really define what a small scale miner is. And for sure, we do feel the constraints. I mean, I remember it was 2016, 2015. I’m one person, if you go on the Zela website, I’m one person who spoke passionately about why we were made to pay equally with large scale miners in the process of acquiring licenses and now Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Hungwe added.
Sibongile Ndlovu, a miner from Insiza District, echoed Hungwe’s concerns, emphasizing the reluctance of women, particularly in Matebeleland, to enter the mining sector due to its inherent challenges. Ndlovu stressed the importance of government and NGO support in motivating women to overcome these barriers and actively participate in the mining industry.
“Women are still reluctant to join the mining sector especially in Matebeleland. Mining itself is hard and it needs perseverance hance the support especially financial from government, non-governmental organisations and other finance institutions will motivate women to take up the space and contribute positively in the mining sector” Ndlovu said.
Furthermore, Ndlovu shed light on the critical need for information and protection against harassment and exploitation faced by small artisan-scale miners, particularly women. Illegal miners often target women, demanding and threatening to seize their gold ore, posing a significant threat to their livelihoods.
The commendable efforts of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Filabusi Insiza District to safeguard women miners from such perpetrators underscore the ongoing challenges within the sector.
Ndlovu added that, “More information is needed to equip small artisan scale miners with knowledge. In Insiza Women are sometimes harassed by illegal miners who come to demand and threaten to take our gold ore and claims and the Zimbabwe Republic police in Filabusi Insiza District has worked tirelessly to protect us from these perpetrators.”
Women were speaking during the workshop conducted by Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) in collaboration with local and international NGOs such as the World Resources Forum ( WRF) under the MaVal project and Christian Aid Zimbabwe aimed to equip Artisan Small Scale miners with the knowledge and skills necessary for legal and responsible mining practices.