The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) this week amplified the need for women to benefit from natural resource extraction that takes place in their local communities as opposed to being marginalised in the value chain on the basis of unfair gender disparities.
Tracy Mutowekuziva, the CNRG’s Deputy Programs Manager while presenting on the Gendered Impacts of Climate Change at the just-ended 12th Edition of the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI) also stressed that women must again be protected from the vagaries of climate change in the process of natural resource extraction in their communities.
“Women around the world rely more on, yet have less access to, natural resources. Nonetheless, they have a disproportionate amount of responsibility for ensuring food, water, and fuel security. They are also the ones most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Research has indicated that climate change both exacerbates and maintains structural inequality between men and women,” she said.
Mutowekuziva, who has a rich legal background as a lawyer, also spoke on the paramount need to enhance consciousness and knowledge regarding the significance of critical minerals mining and its link to climate change.
In addition, she also touched on the ecological and societal obstacles linked to the extraction and utilization of natural resources when it comes to its effect on women.
During the side session, the CNRG team of Mutowekuziva and Programmes Manager George Nyamaropa fostered dialogue and discussions among stakeholders on perspectives around critical minerals extraction and climate justice in Zimbabwe.
The audience during the side session was drawn from people in the academia, captains of industry, government, civil society leaders, and affected community members from mineral-rich areas. They exchanged knowledge, experiences and possible future steps that can be taken to ensure improved governance in the natural resources sector.
The aim of this year’s ZIMA Indaba where CNRG was active in articulating issues, was to create a forum for discussion on mining-related issues in Zimbabwe among a wide range of stakeholders in the natural resources sector.
In attendance were also members of parliament and faith-based organizations.