The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) and the Zimbabwe Diamond Allied Workers Union ZIDAWU joined forces on Tuesday to commemorate the International Day of Rural Women in Arda Transau Mutare.
The two organizations and several development partners emphasized the importance of empowering women in the natural resource extraction sector by increasing their participation in important decision-making processes.
This year’s celebrations ran under the theme “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”.
The first International Day of Rural Women was commemorated on 15 October 2008 after the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007 ratified the need to recognise “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”
This week’s ARDA Transau celebrations organised by CNRG and ZIDAWU drew women from areas around Manicaland that included Penhalonga and Marange where there is massive gold and diamond extraction that ironically has not benefited communities there.
CNRG head of programmes George Nyamaropa said it was important for women in such areas to be brought together so that they share their experiences and map future ways of breaking the barriers.
“The event was aimed at facilitating knowledge and experience sharing among affected community women with a view of empowering them so that they can actively participate in decision-making processes,” he said.
Nyamaropa emphasised that CNRG has over time expressed concerns that rural women continue to bear the brunt of gender inequities as host mining communities, including limited access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
“CNRG insist that mining operations in Zimbabwe have often resulted in the displacement of communities, including women which is wrong as it has led to the loss of homes, farmland, and access to natural resources This has been impacting negatively on women’s livelihoods and food security.
“Girls in mining communities have also battled to access education and healthcare despite the vast mineral wealth in their areas. Our clarion call as CNRG is that host communities in mining areas must benefit from the extraction of the natural resources through initiatives like free health and education services. They must also be employed and consulted on development projects that can be done by the mining companies in their areas,” he said.