Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the links between local content, empowerment, and gender in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It argues targeting women in TVET and SME capacity building will improve their direct and indirect participation in large-scale mining.

Paper long abstract:

The African Mining Vision (AMV) specifically calls for the empowerment of women in order to ensure gender equality. Yet, gender is an overlooked area when it comes to economic empowerment and local content policies in the mining sector. Few, if any, local content laws and regulations for the extractive industries in Africa contain specific provisions related to gender equity or female empowerment. While women play larger roles in informal activities, including related services and in artisanal and small-scale mining, formal employment in resource extraction is traditionally male-dominated. However, the negative impacts of mining, especially in terms of social disruption and dislocation, environmental degradation and loss of livelihood, are more likely to be felt by women. This paper explores the links between local content, empowerment, and gender with respect to Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Using a review of relevant legislation and policies and key informant interviews, it is argued these governments are missing out on opportunities to target women in TVET and SME capacity building. Improving women’s direct participation in large-scale mining and the participation of women-owned businesses in the mining sector will encourage gender equity and better fulfill the development objectives of these countries and of the AMV. Overall, governments must pursue a holistic approach to gender in legislation, regulation, policy, education and training in order to maximize the benefit from the extractive industries.