ZELA promotes sustainable women-led ASM in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) through the support of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals is on a quest to promote women-led responsible, traceable, and profitable artisanal and small-scale mining sector (ASM) to achieve formalization and regularization of the sector in Zimbabwe.
Rudairo Mapuranga
The Environmental Law Association through a workshop held yesterday has encouraged and empowered women miners to apply to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence principles.
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance provides detailed recommendations to help companies respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices. This Guidance is for use by any company potentially sourcing minerals or metals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The OECD Guidance is global in scope and applies to all mineral supply chains.
“Through the support of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals, ZELA is promoting women-led responsible, traceable, safe & profitable gold mining in the Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining sector i.e women miners. The women miners have been empowered to apply the OECD Due Diligence principles.” ZELA said on Twitter.
According to ZELA women in mining as well as artisanal and small-scale miners are encouraged to conduct their mining operations in a culture of honesty, high moral, ethical, and social standards with all their stakeholders, this was said at a workshop held by ZELA and Mthandazo Women Miners Association Trust (MWMAT).
“We have the pleasure of engaging women miners for an informative validation workshop on their operations. The Association which comprises solely of women employs scores of people. Mthandazo Women Miners Association Trust is a force to reckon with and they have a lot to share.
“In line with OECD guidelines of responsible sourcing, women miners are committed to conducting their mining operations in a culture of honesty, maintain high morale, ethical & social standards & maintain proper business relationships with all service providers,” ZELA said.
ZELA said the Mthandazo Women Miners Association Trust in line with promoting corporate social responsibility is planning to contribute and partake in a corporate social responsibility program that will benefit the community, especially in Colleen Bawn.
“In the spirit of promoting corporate social responsibility Mthandazo Women Miners Association Trust (MWMAT) plans to partake in #CSR which will benefit the locals especially in Colleen Bawn,” ZELA said.