PRESENTATION BY GRACE MAYATO TEPULA

ESAFF/ (RWA) ZAMBIA &SUSAN KIRIMANIA- EFZ/PWYP

07/10/2013JOHANESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

IMPACTS OF MINING ON RURAL WOMEN IN ZAMBIA

MODE OF PRESENTATIONCOUNTRY PROFILEMAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MINING SECTORCONTRIBUTION OF EXTRACTIVES TO

NATIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENTGENDER DIMENSION OF MINING IN ZAMBIAISSUES AFFECTING RURAL WOMENTHE CASE OF CHINGOLARECOMENDATIONSCONCLUSION

COUNTRY PROFILE• Zambia is a landlocked country situated in

central/ southern 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 Minerals- Kansashi 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/developmentThe mining industry has been the economic and social

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 expatriatedFirst decade after independence in 1964- govt revenue

increased to 36% GDP and 58% to govt revenue1973-1985- contribution dropped to 13-16% GDP and 5-

18% government revenue.1990- 5-10% GDP and nothing to govt revenue- negativeAfter privatisation in the late 1990s –improved

contribution- 3-5% 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 sectorFew females in technical schools and colleges-

lack of 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 WOMENCONTND

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 WOMENCONTNDDisplacements 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 CHINGOLAThe 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.

RECOMENDATIONSThere 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.

CONCLUSIONIn 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