BULAWAYO, Jun 15 (NewsDay Live) — Women in Zvishavane are bearing the brunt of mining-related land disputes, displacement and economic exclusion, according to a report by the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ), which is calling for urgent reforms to protect affected communities.
The report found that families relocated from fertile agricultural land to less productive areas have struggled to rebuild their livelihoods, with women suffering the most severe consequences because of their traditional reliance on farming.
“Families relocated from fertile agricultural land to more arid areas have struggled to rebuild their livelihoods, with women particularly affected as they lose the ability to farm,” the report said.
WCOZ said environmental degradation linked to mining operations has compounded women’s burdens, with deforestation and dwindling water sources forcing them to travel longer distances to collect firewood and water.
“Deforestation and water depletion linked to mining operations have made these tasks more difficult,” the report noted.
The findings also highlighted women’s limited participation in the extractive sector, with few holding mining claims despite mineral resources being extracted from land they previously used for agriculture.
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“Very few women hold mining claims, limiting their ability to benefit from mineral resources found on land they previously used for farming,” the report said.
Nearly half of the women interviewed in artisanal mining communities reported that mining claims were inaccessible to them, effectively shutting them out of potential income opportunities.
The coalition urged the government to establish a transparent compensation mechanism that adequately reflects the value of lost land and livelihoods, while ensuring women have a meaningful voice in negotiations over mining and relocation processes.
Authorities should “introduce a clear compensation framework that reflects the real value of lost land and ensures women participate in negotiations,” WCOZ said.
The report underscores growing concerns over the gendered impacts of Zimbabwe’s mining expansion, with advocates warning that women risk further marginalisation unless policies explicitly address inequalities in land ownership, compensation and access to mineral resources.