Ex-Miners Association of Malawi has asked players in the mining sector to safeguard the rights of women.

The association’s programmes manager Richard Tamva said on Tuesday during a stakeholder’s dialogue with women miners from Neno at Zalewa, Neno District.

He said gender diversity in the sector can hasten efficiency and advancements in the sector, which is one of the priorities under the government’s agriculture, tourism and mining (ATM) strategy.

Lomoni: We will follow it upgrabbing,

Said Tamva: “Mining is one of the key pillars of Malawi’s long-term development blueprint, the Malawi 2063, and it can swiftly influence the country’s socioeconomic development if properly managed.

“However, most local communities don’t benefit from the sector. They either reap poverty or human rights violations such as displacements, land grabbing, loss and damage.”

A miner, Eva Nkwanda, said she has been involved in open-pit quarry mining for over 24 years, but lamented appalling conditions and poor remuneration.

“Many women are also unfairly losing their land to unscrupulous businesspersons who come looking for precious deposits,” she said.

Neno District Council director of planning and development Charles Lomoni pledged to follow up on the claims so that they can help affected households.

He also encouraged the women miners in Neno to form cooperatives to master contract negotiations and access loans for growing their businesses.

Dubbed ‘Her in the Mines Neno District Dialogue’, the meeting was held under the theme ‘Forging paths of equality: Empowering women in Neno’s mines  

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