THE ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF WOMEN IN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

IN AFRICAMrs Wawa Damane, Chairperson

Zingce Holdings, South Africa.

CONTEXT

• Africa has some of the world’s largest mineral reserves and is one of the few largely unexplored regions left

• Africa is an important player in the international minerals market with 11-45% of world supply of 8 major commodities• Gold, platinum, diamond, copper, uranium, cobalt, manganese, chromite

• More than half of the African population is women

• The extractive industry provides the raw materials that make it possible for us to survive and enjoy everyday lives!

• Remember - if it cannot be grown, it has to be mined!

CONTEXT

- Copper- Nickel- Aluminium- Molybdenum- Trona

⁻ Mica⁻ Iron Oxides ⁻ Titanium Dioxide ⁻ Tin Oxide ⁻ Silica⁻ Soy Glycerides

⁻ Gold⁻ Silver⁻ Chlorine⁻ Aluminium⁻ Zinc Sulfide

• Women are consumers

• Women are miners

• Women are mining employees

• Women are traders and investors in extractives

ROLE OF WOMEN IN EXTRACTIVES

LEVELS OF WOMEN’S ROLE IN MINING

• Public Sector• Policy making

• Private Sector• Large scale mining

• Entrepreneurs, governance structures, professionals, service providers• Small scale mining

• Entrepreneurs, artisans• Value addition /Beneficiation

• Cutting and polishing, jewellery making

ADDRESSING THE MARGINALISATION AND EXCLUSION OF WOMEN

• Creating an enabling regulatory environment• Policies and legislation

• Changing patriarchal values and attitudes• Education and awareness programmes are critical in changing mind-sets that look

negatively at women doing business in mining

• Support for small scale women miners, formal and informal• Promote policies which assist small scale mining• Provide support, technical extension services, market facilities• Technical and business skills development• Financial support

ADDRESSING THE MARGINALISATION AND EXCLUSION OF WOMEN

• Investment in mineral beneficiation• Support initiative for value addition• Local procurement to strengthen SMME and other local suppliers

• Creation of networks and associations