Online Reporter
Judith Phiri [email protected]
THE Ministry of Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development has said it is working with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, mining institutions, development partners and private sector players to ensure that women are not left behind in the mining sector.
This comes at a time more women are joining Zimbabwe’s mining sector, driven by policy shifts and economic opportunities, increasingly breaking barriers and establishing a powerful footprint across the mining value chain, transitioning from artisanal miners to industrial mine owners and corporate executives.
The mining industry is the cornerstone of the nation’s economy, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP) and accounting for approximately 75 percent of national exports.
In a speech read on behalf of the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Mavis Sibanda by Chief Director of Gender and Women Affaird Mrs Lillian Matsika Takaendisa at the Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Conference, held alongside Mine Entra 2026, she said women play a critical role in the mining sector.
“According to Government estimates, women constitute approximately 20 percent of participants in Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector, although they remain concentrated mainly in lower levels of production and informal activities.
“Women are increasingly participating not only in extraction but also in mineral processing, value addition, equipment hiring services, environmental management and mine support services,” she said.
She said despite this progress, there remains considerable scope to expand women’s participation throughout the mining value chain.
Dr Sibanda sais as Government, they believe this was not merely a gender issue; it was an economic imperative.
“Increasing women’s participation in mining will contribute towards increased household incomes, employment creation, poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development is mandated to promote gender equality and women’s socio-economic empowerment,” she added.
“Guided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Vision 2030, National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), the National Gender Policy and the recently reviewed National Broad-Based Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework, the Ministry continues to implement programmes that remove barriers to women’s participation in productive sectors, including mining, and promote their full contribution to national development.”
The Permanent Secretary said the mining sector has been identified as one of the strategic sectors capable of transforming the livelihoods of women through entrepreneurship, decent employment and wealth creation.
“The Ministry therefore continues to work closely with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, mining institutions, development partners and private sector players to ensure that women are not left behind.”
She commended Zimbabwe Artisanal and Small-Scale Women Miners Association (ZASWMA) and partners for organising the important conference, which provided an excellent platform for dialogue, networking and collaboration among women participating across Zimbabwe’s mining value chain.
