Page 59 - Vol 33 Issue 34 2021

Commentary mining

How can the AfCFTA Suggested solutions For example, the AfCFTA’s objective to “promote
achieve or improve on the I would like to see a deliberate gender-inclusive industrialisation, economic diversification and deve­
lop ment of value chains” offers an opportunity for
aspirations of the African effort in the formulation of AfCFTA protocols. This optimal participation of women for equitable be-
Mining Vision? invariably means a consideration of the interests ne fits in the minerals value chains.
of the approximately five million women working Fourth, another AfCFTA objective, which is to
The African Mining Vision is premised on the in mining in Africa. Therefore, the following re-
un der standing that women in mining in Af ri- medial actions are urgent: “liberalize exchange of service provision” between
countries, can be advanced as countries develop
ca are predominantly in ASM. The ASM world First, women must advocate for the creation mineral linkages that are key to the economic
is precarious and fraught with low wa ges, of space for their concerns to be taken on transformation of Africa.
exploitation and insufficient means of pro duc- board. The opportunities in the AfCFTA can only In promoting the exchange of services between
tion, value chain marginalisation, and so on. Yet be realized if there are evidence-based provisions countries, the AfCFTA has an opportunity to bridge
it provides livelihood opportunities for many wo- in the protocols. These are best generated at the the gender gap in the minerals sector. There is
men in rural settings. national and regional levels. a need for interventions that foster equitable
It requires evidence-based thinking on the ne ga - Second, Africa’s ministries of mining and access to skills development, which will equip
tive impacts of regional protocols on women and trade must adopt a cohesive policy position on women mining professionals and entrepreneurs
the measures needed to mitigate such im pacts. the optimization of the AfCFTA and the African to offer services like exploration, contract mining,
There was no formal consultation with women Mining Vision. Governments need to address the laboratory services, and more.
in mining during the processes that led to the siloed approach that is detrimental to optimal Lastly, the institutional frameworks es ta blished
development of the AfCFTA. developmental outcomes. for the implementation of the AfCFTA must in-
Writing on the issue of gender and the Currently, governments are pushing for mineral clude women at all levels, in line with the Maputo
AfCFTA, Fatima Kelleher of the Nairobi-based be ne fi ci ation and value addition while the African Protocol to the African Charter on Hu man and

women’s empowerment organisation FEMNET Mi ning Vision is advocating mineral-based in dus- Peoples’ Rights on Rights of Women in Africa.
(also called the African Women’s Development tri alisation. But how will this impact women in- My message to development partners is for
and Communication Network) suggests that volved in minerals trade on the continent? What them to be mindful of the support required by
the trade agreement left the heavy lifting of will it mean for minerals whose value chains are women in Africa’s mining sector. Providing such
gender inclusivity to countries. This is concerning linked to global value chains? What about the support under the auspices of the AfCFTA will
because, in mining, gender and social inclusion regional value chains and the setting up of national foster inclusion.
have historically been low priority. beneficiation and value addition in dus tries?
To examine the nexus between women in mi- Third, the AfCFTA can advance the aspirations Nellie Mutemeri is the Mining Practice
ning and the AfCFTA, it is important to under stand of the African Mining Vision and gender inclusivity Lead, Mutemeri Consulting and Associate
the situation of women in the mining sec tor. in the minerals sector by making sure that relevant Professor, University of Witwatersrand
AfCFTA protocols align with the vision’s key tenets.

AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol33 Issue 34 2021 | 59