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All is set for the second edition of the Women Empowerment in Mining Zimbabwe (WEMZ) Awards, taking place today, with the spotlight firmly on women who are driving change in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, particularly within small-to-medium-scale operations, Mining Zimbabwe reports.
By Ryan Chigoche
Held under the theme “Green horizons – empowered women building inclusive sustainable futures in mining,” the awards come at a time when women are increasingly visible in hands-on mining activities that sustain livelihoods and local economies.
Across artisanal, small and medium-scale mining, women are moving beyond survival mining into more organised, productive and environmentally responsible operations. This year’s ceremony is expected to recognise those efforts while pushing the conversation beyond recognition towards lasting empowerment.
According to the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining (IGF), women comprise roughly 30% to 50% of the global artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) workforce, with higher representation in parts of Africa and variation by country and commodity. This makes the WEMZ Awards’ focus on grassroots mining particularly significant, highlighting Zimbabwean women who are shaping sustainable and inclusive mining practices at the local level.
“The WEMZ Awards, held under the banner ‘Green horizons – empowered women building inclusive sustainable futures in mining’, are more than praise; they are a roadmap. They spotlight women already shaping a cleaner, fairer mining sector and remind policymakers that the 2026 Budget and NDS 2 will only deliver inclusive growth if deliberate, gender-smart measures channel those national reforms directly into women’s hands,” WEMZ programmes coordinator Nakai Taderera told Mining Zimbabwe.
As women increasingly lead cooperatives, take on technical and operational responsibilities, invest in basic mineral processing and formalise their activities, public recognition through the awards, the association says, helps validate this progress while encouraging more women to scale up and operate sustainably.
Sustainability is a central pillar of this year’s awards.
The “Green horizons” focus highlights women who are adopting safer and cleaner mining practices, including land rehabilitation, improved waste management and reduced environmental harm.
WEMZ says these examples demonstrate that responsible mining is achievable even at smaller scales when women are supported with the right tools and policies.
As anticipation builds ahead of tomorrow’s ceremony, WEMZ says the awards are intended to send a clear message: empowering women in small- and medium-scale mining is essential to building a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient mining sector in Zimbabwe.
