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Daniel Mhonda Manicaland Correspondent
WOMEN in mining have called on Government to ensure that they get equal opportunities to counter some of the challenges they face which they say have resulted in fewer women venturing into the sector.

The women say they experience problems such as victimisation, dispossession of claims by men and gender-based violence.

Manicaland representative for the Zimbabwe Miners’ Association Mrs Judith Shadaya told The Herald recently that women in Mutasa and Marange were appealing for authorities to put in place a legal framework to protect them.

“We want both the public and private sectors to invest more in women in mining who will link them to the strategic partners,” she said. “We have only 60 women who own claims out of the 600 claims registered in Manicaland. This is because many women fear venturing into mining.”

She said some women have been turned down by institutions that offer mining assistance. Mrs Shadaya said there was need for a holistic approach to ensure the security of women in mining.

“We sometimes face gender-based violence from the machete gangs,” she said.

“They come to our claims and claim our mines with the knowledge that we cannot physically protect ourselves from them. Some women face dispossession of their claims by men who are financially muscled who connive with some corrupt officials.”