Women urged to participate in mining

ANN ZULU writes

WOMEN´s  participation in the mining sector remains low and there is a need for more to be done in encouraging them to take up opportunities in the sector, Mwape Musonda, a small scale miner has said.

Woman miner

Ms Musonda  said although the sector held promises for women, many were not bold enough when opportunities come their way and usually fail to take advantage of job offerings in the sector.

“All I am saying is that when you get an opportunity as a woman to take up any role, step-up, take the position, say you can do it and while you are there, figure out how you are going to do it. Just the willingness to do something can actually propel you to achieve it,” Ms Musonda said.

She also said more young women should be encouraged to take up the sciences and also visit the mines, to interact with women miners within the industry.

She said there aren’t too many impediments in the industry, but rather an educational level problem is what she believed hindered women’s participation.

“We are not getting enough women who are qualified technically to come into the industry,” she said.

She stressed the need to encourage women, to take up the study of mines and to visit the mines to learm more about the sector.

“Once we make this attractive and we encourage our children from childhood to start pursuing these courses we will get a lot more in the industry,” she said.