BY Boitumelo Thobejane – Ditwebeleng Fetakgomo, Tubatse, Limpopo, South Africa / This post first appeared Tunatazama
We are still leaving in a world where women are undermined and taken for granted. Gender inequality in mining communities is high, women are not considered in leadership, decisions making and mine related projects. They are side lined.
In Twickenham mine this is too much because the Community Engagement Forum of the mine has 35 members but only 3 women are in that committee and 1 women is the one that is elected from the communities while the other 2 women are automatically part of the Forum as they are the ward councillors .
Anglo American has always advertised itself as one of the company that is working to close the gap of gender in the mine but they are failing to implement the same method in communities by making sure that the policy or terms of reference make it clearer that representative must be equal.
It is not only women who are not represented, the youth is also missing in the representative. Women in business must be considered the most since all opportunities are given to men led businesses.
Community based organization which is where more women plays a role must be represented to make sure that women and youth issues are dealt with by those who are affected most.
WHO IS AFFECTED
Women and youth are the most vulnerable because only men are representatives of the mine Community Engagement Forum.
This problem is happening in mining communities of Twickenham and it started 15 years ago since its operation in our communities, there has never been a 10 % representative in the structure until now.
