IMPACTS OF MINING ON RURAL
WOMEN IN ZAMBIA
PRESENTATION BY GRACE MAYATO TEPULA
ESAFF/ (RWA) ZAMBIA &
SUSAN KIRIMANIA- EFZ/PWYP
07/10/2013
JOHANESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
MODE OF PRESENTATION
 COUNTRY PROFILE
 MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MINING SECTOR
 CONTRIBUTION OF EXTRACTIVES TO NATIONAL
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GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
GENDER DIMENSION OF MINING IN ZAMBIA
ISSUES AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN
THE CASE OF CHINGOLA
RECOMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION
COUNTRY PROFILE
• Zambia is a landlocked country situated in central/ southern
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Africa that is endowed with vast natural resources such as
minerals and forests.
Total country area is 752 614KM squares
It has a population of more than 13 million people consisting of
73 tribes.
Main economic activities are agriculture and mining
Agriculture is the source of livelihood for the rural people
Agriculture contributes more than 20% to GDP and about 60%
of the labour force
• The country is internationally recognised as a major producer
of copper and cobalt. It is the second largest copper producer
in the world. Other minerals include nickel, gold, manganese
and uranium.
• Main mining areas are in two provinces (Copperbelt &
North-western)
• Forests are also one of the most important natural resources
of Zambia and cover about 60% of the total land area of the
country.
MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE ZAMBIAN
MINING SECTOR
• The major copper mining companies and owners are Mopani
Copper Mines (Glencore of Switzerland), Konkola Copper
Mines (Vedanta of India/ Britain), First Quantum MineralsKansashi and Kalumbila mines (Canadian) and Lumwana
owned by Barrick Gold.
• Other copper mining firms are Chambishi Non-Ferous
Metals and Luanshya Copper Mine owned by the Chinese.
• Other major mining operations are in limestone mining for
cement production by Lafarge Cement from France,
Zambezi Portland Cement a local investor and soon to
come Dangote from Nigeria.
Contribution of extractives to National
growth/development
 The mining industry has been the economic and social
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backbone of Zambia since the 1930’s. Mining control
through the years has moved from private to state to private.
Pre-independence- mineral revenues were expatriated
First decade after independence in 1964- govt revenue
increased to 36% GDP and 58% to govt revenue
1973-1985- contribution dropped to 13-16% GDP and 518% government revenue.
1990- 5-10% GDP and nothing to govt revenue- negative
After privatisation in the late 1990s –improved contribution3-5% GDP and 5-18% government revenue.
 During the last decade, Zambia has experienced rapid
economic growth due to a combination of factors which
include investments in the copper industry.
 However, the economic growth averaging 5-7% has not
translated into significant poverty reduction. About 64% of
the population lives below the poverty line and almost 90%
of Zambians who live below the poverty line are
concentrated in rural areas.
 Despite Zambia’s wealth in natural resources, it remains one
of the poorest countries in the world ranking 150 out of 169
countries on the 2010 Human Development Index.
 Zambians have not fully benefitted from their natural
resources due to a lack of transparency and accountability in
the extractive sector.
 The gender dimension of extractives has not been explored
in Zambia but there is a recognition that the impact of
benefits and risks of the EIs are often considered at
community level without exploring how they are allocated
within the community.
 Men have access most benefits such as employment and
income while women are more vulnerable to risks created by
EIs which consist of mostly harmful social and environmental
impacts.
 Women’s participation in mining is also affected by
traditional obstacles. For example, cultural norms inhibit
women from going to the mines. There are some myths that
if a woman goes underground, the minerals will disappear
(Theresa Moyo) or that she will not be able to have children.
Gender issues identified in the mining
sector
 Few females in technical schools and colleges- lack of
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technical skills required for mining.
Very few females in managerial and decision making
positions in the sector.
Most women in mining are involved in small scale or illegal
mining but remain insignificant in the mainstream mining
industry.
Lack of financial support and capacity building to women
miners.
Most mines owned by foreign investors with few or no
Zambian women shareholders.
ISSUES AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN
• Pollution of land, water and air by mining activities
• Land pollution has negatively impacted agriculture productivity
(Take note that women provide most of the labour in agriculture
and also that for example vegetable, beans and groundnuts are
traditionally considered to be women’s crops
• The above situation results in income losses, food insecurity and
compounds malnutrition cases.
ISSUES AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN
CONTND
 Water pollution from mining has become the norm of the day.
 This incident has resulted in river and underground water
pollution that directly negatively impacts on women who are
responsible for fetching water for household use
 Water and air pollution also results in diseases and women end
up spending much of the time taking care of the sick.
ISSUES AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN
CONTND
 Displacements from land without consultation for
compensation for new mining operations
 The above situation puts women headed households under
immense stress because in most cases, the displaced families
are resettled in virgin lands that also require to be cleared for
cultivation of crops and these families have to pay for this
while male headed households will do it on their own.
THE CASE OF...... COMMUNITY IN
CHINGOLA
 Case in point is the pollution of Kafue River by Konkola Copper
Mines in Chingola (Copperbelt Province in the year 2006)
 The water and the surrounding land used for production of
vegetables that was polluted has not been reclaimed
 Women can no longer grow vegetables on the river banks and have
to walk long distances to fetch water
THE CASE OF A COMMUNITY IN
CHINGOLA
 The Community had to seek legal redress with the support of
a local NGO (Citizens for a Better Environment) and the
court ruled in their favour and the mining firm had to
compensate them and also sank bore holes for water that are
never used as the underground water is polluted.
 Not all community members have been compensated to date
and ESAFF and other civil society organisations are following
up on the case.
 In another landmark case in 2011, KCM was ordered by a
Lusaka court to pay K10Billion(US$2milliion), to two
thousand Chingola residents for polluting River Mushishima
a tributary of the Kafue river.
RECOMENDATIONS
 There is need to conduct comprehensive studies on the social and
environmental impact of mining on rural women
 Need to strengthen rural womens’ organisations and build
capacities in advocacy
 Traditional leaders sensitization is needed to protect the local
people’s rights and to make them aware of the impact of mining
on women as these leaders approve land allocation for their
monetary gain.
CONCLUSION
 In as much as social, economic and environmental negative
impacts of mining affect everyone, women are the most
affected
 We need to stand up and fight for our rights and protect
mother earth
 Tiyende pamozi ndi mtima umozi (Lets walk together with
one spirit)
 Thank you