Hwange women are calling for the newly elected councillors to push for
gender equality when it comes to job opportunities in the district.
Reports from Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union
(ZDAMWU) indicate that in Hwange district, only one percent of the
employed workers in the mining town are women and that abuse of women
is rampant in the mining sector.
Although there have been a mushrooming of coal mines in the district
thereby creating more job opportunities, this has not benefitted women as
most of the jobs have been taken up by men.
“Considering the number of coal mining companies that are mushrooming
in Hwange, we also expect to be employed and have vast job opportunities
as males,” said Miriam Mudenda a Hwange resident.
She called the newly elected councillors to engage with the mining
companies in creating posts that can also accommodate women.
“These councillors should have a data base of all the mines in the town,
and engage them positively; they should also come up with some ways of
promoting and equipping women, job wise,” she said.
Another resident, Irene Moyo from Hwange lamented how she had tried to
get job in Hwange but to no avail.
“I waited for months at the Hwange ZPC power station gate hoping for a
job opportunity, but it was to no avail. They only called for males who the
employers claimed are more qualified than us females.”
Ward 2 Councillor Fani Salome Chirwa said there is a need for these
companies to give equal job opportunities to women and have certain
sectors reserved for them within the Hwange mining community.
“We need to continue lobbying for better service delivery, lower cost of
stands and most of all gender equality when it comes to job opportunities in
Hwange,” she said
The ZDAMWU Secretary General, Justice Chinhema bemoaned this
situation where many local mining companies are not closing the job
inequality gap.
“These days there is no work that women cannot take. Gender equality has
to be applied and every person, if qualified for a job, should be given an
opportunity. As ZDAMWU we have created a Woman, Youth and Gender
department to promote gender equality, equity and empowerment of
women and young workers in the mining industry,” he said.
Precious Munkuli from a Hwange based Women’s Forum applauded the
efforts made by the government in offering full support and approval of a
30 percent women’s quota at local level in the country.
“We really appreciate these efforts, but what we want the councillors and
women quota representatives to do, is to promote women, and fight for the
rights for women. We need the lives of women to change through their
efforts,” she said.
Meanwhile of the 15 councillors who were sworn in at Hwange Local
Board three are females and are from Ward 2 Fani Chirwa, Ward 9 Rodah
Sibanda and Ward 11 Veronica Nyathi. In the Women's Quota, there is
Sera Phiri, Ellen Zulu, Sandra Moyo, Chiratidzo Mudimba and Anastacia
Nyathi.
