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Dar es Salaam: The Tanzanian government is making significant strides in promoting women’s inclusion in the sustainable mining sector, a move aimed at empowering women economically and transforming a traditionally male-dominated industry. A recent symposium in Dar es Salaam, held in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, highlighted the government’s commitment to this cause.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr. Doto Biteko, emphasized the increasing presence of women in mining, citing figures from the 2022 population census. The sector employs over six million people across the extraction value chain, with a significant portion, 51.3%, engaged in small-scale mining. Notably, approximately 1.5 million of these small-scale miners, representing 27%, are women.
Dr. Biteko credited President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her unwavering support of women’s participation in mining. Through capacity-building programs, provision of soft loans and equipment, and inclusion in decision-making processes, the government is actively dismantling barriers that have historically limited women’s involvement in the sector.
The importance of women’s participation extends beyond mere inclusivity. It is seen as crucial for expanding the mineral value chain and contributing to national development. While the extractive sector created over 200,000 direct jobs in the 2020/2021 financial year, with men occupying the majority, the government is actively working to redress this imbalance.
An enabling environment has been created through the National Gender and Women Development Policy of 2023 and the Mining Act of 2017, which prioritizes local content criteria to ensure Tanzanians, particularly women, fully benefit from the extractive sector.
Academic empowerment is also a key focus. The Mining Commission and the Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA) are providing local training and sending women abroad for specialized courses. “In 2023, five women were sent to China for specialized training in marketing,” Dr. Biteko revealed.
Furthermore, the government has allocated 10 billion Tanzanian shillings to support small-scale women miners, and two of the ten recently procured drilling machines will be provided to them through TAWOMA. Dr. Biteko also called for increased public-private partnerships to further boost women’s participation in the industry.
Minister for Minerals, Mr. Antony Mavunde, lauded the symposium organizers for highlighting women’s contributions and assured the government’s continued commitment to supporting them. He also praised President Samia for her reforms, including the Mining Act of 2017, which has significantly increased women’s participation.
Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Ms. Mwanaidi Ali Khamis, commended President Samia for establishing a ministry dedicated to women’s empowerment across all sectors, including mining.
As Tanzania prepares to join the world in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8th, these initiatives underscore the nation’s dedication to creating a more equitable and inclusive mining sector, empowering women to contribute fully to the country’s economic development.
