(ZANIS) The Zambia Alliance of women has hailed government for including women as beneficiaries of the copper slug dumpsite commonly known as Black Mountain in Kitwe on the Copperbelt province.
Executive Director EDAH CHIMYA says the action taken has proved that the new dawn administration is serious in striking gender balance in the country’s income generating activities.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lufwanyama district after conducting a women sensitisation meeting in extractives, Ms. CHIMYA said previously mining has been perceived to be a male dominated sector, a development which led to many women remaining job
ess especially in the mining towns.
Ms CHIMYA however, said the bold decision taken by government by believing in the capabilities of women will not only help end the notion but enable them become economically independent.
She has since appealed to government to replicate the same to other mining towns like Lufwanyama which has many mine dumpsites.
Meanwhile Ms CHIMYA described the apportioning 20 percent of Constituency Development Fund -CDF- for women and youths empowerment as unprecedented in the country.
She also called on women to be more united and prove their capability if more stakeholders are to continue believing in them.
And a Lufwanyama’s PILALA Women Cooperative member ETHEL CHILESHE said she will be happy if government can also consider giving out the dumpsites for KAGEM and GRIZZLY mines to the community as a way of empowering them.
Recently, government handed over part of the black mountain to the community who included women and youths in Kitwe on the copperbelt province.
