Page 58 - Vol 33 Issue 34 2021

How women in mining sector could benefit from AfCFTA
mining Commentary

How women in

mining sector could

benefit from AfCFTA

By Nellie Mutemeri

ike many Africans, I am excited about what free trade and free movement of persons herald for the fortunes
Lof Africans in the 55 nations of the African Union (AU).

As an African woman working in the mining sec- In Africa, women are involved in the production sector – whether positive or negative.
tor, I asked myself what the AfCFTA means for the of diamonds, gold, coloured gemstones, cobalt, A focus on such impact would help deter-
millions of women miners and entrepreneurs. copper, the so-called 3T minerals (bearing tin, mine the achievement of the aspirations of the
Women work in the whole spectrum of tungsten and tantalum), industrial minerals AU’s Africa Mining Vision (AMV) that was adop-
mining operations—from artisanal and small- and construction materials, some of which they ted in 2009, and seeks “Transparent, equitable
scale mining (ASM) to large-scale mining (LSM) fashion into finished goods—from pottery and and optimal exploitation of mineral resources
operations. They are engineers, geologists and bricks to jewellery. to underpin broad-based sustainable growth
other scientists, but many women in mining are Given the speed with which the early stages of and socio-economic development…” and notably
manual labourers. Up to 99 per cent of women the AfCFTA are being rolled out and the expected mentions gender inclusion as one of its key
in mining are in the ASM subsector. Of the elimination of tariffs on 90 per cent of goods tenets, though the mechanics of that have yet to
approximately nine million people in ASM in produced by countries in the first five years, it is be worked out.
Africa, about 50 per cent are women. Sadly, there necessary to consider, even at this stage, the free
are some children in ASM too. trade’s potential impact on women in the mining

58 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol33 Issue 34 2021