Chronicle Editor
Nokuthaba Brita Ncube, [email protected]
PARLIAMENTARIANS have urged the Government to implement more innovative programmes that enable women to acquire the necessary skills and resources to successfully venture into mining. Zimbabwe has witnessed a surge in the number of women participating in the mining industry, a sector traditionally dominated by men.
Speaking in Parliament recently, legislators stressed the need for the Government to take deliberate and aggressive measures to ensure that, particularly in mining, there are innovative programmes that allow women to access mining claims, mining knowledge and other capacities required for successful participation in the sector. This initiative would support the Government’s efforts towards effective devolution.
The legislators further highlighted that studies show when women have access to resources, training and technology, they reinvest the majority of their income back into their families and communities, promising a brighter future for Zimbabwe as a whole.
The Government has already implemented programmes to promote women’s economic empowerment, including financial inclusion, access to markets and capacity building. It has introduced policies to support women in mining, such as training and education provided by the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM), which offers courses for women in mining, including technical training in mining engineering, mine geology and metallurgical engineering.
Guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the Government has established institutions like the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank (ZWMB), which has benefitted over 50 000 women through access to micro-credit loans and capacity building for their enterprises. The Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development Corporation (Smedco) also enhances women’s access to affordable finance.
Additionally, the Government has actively supported women entrepreneurs’ entry into regional and international markets, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and promoted export readiness through ZimTrade’s Next-She Exporters programme. The Government also encourages women to partner with local and foreign investors to benefit from the country’s natural resources.
Women occupy only 10 percent of the estimated 535 000 artisanal and small-scale miners in the country.
The Second Republic has been taking deliberate steps to liberalise the sector and open doors for everyone to participate, including youths and more women.
The mining industry in Zimbabwe remains one of the major economic pillars, contributing an estimated 70 percent of the country’s export earnings and accounting for 16 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Online Reporter