STRUGGLES OF WOMEN IN

MINING COMMUNITIES IN MALAWIBy Lusayo Ruth Banda

OUTLINE

• Mineral Resources in Malawi • History of mining in Malawi• Mining companies in Malawi• Legal Framework • Economic Benefits• Environmental Impact Assessment• Environmental Concerns• Oil mining on Lake Malawi• Challenges emanating from Mining• Companies and their role• Corporate Social Responsibility• Closer look at Kayelekera and

Kanyika Mines• Resettlements• Women’s Responses in these area• The role of our Organization• The role of other CSOs• Recommendations• Conclusion

MINERAL RESOURCES IN MALAWI

Uranium Niobium Rare earth metals Gem Stones Bauxite Oil

gasGold?Nickel, etc.CoalTantalum

BRIEF BACKGROUND

• Mining is a new sector in Malawi, Like many countries, we are optimistic that Mining ventures will translate into universal economic development

• Malawi is now home to more than 15 mining companies all in quest for minerals

MINING COMPANIES

Oropa Exploration Pty Ltd

Paladin (Africa) LtdGlobe Metals &

Mining Exploration Ltd

Eastbourne Exploration Pty

Tanaka Resources

LtdSurestream

Petroleum LtdTerrastoneSpring StoneNyalihanga

Enterprises LimitedMantra Resources

Ltd

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

• However, the shift in economic focus has taken place without an assessment of the capacity of the existent institutional, policy and legislative framework to promote and ensure sustainable mining, accurate estimation, transparent collection and utilization of resource revenue.

• Most of the policies are old and outdated.

• New Mining Policy leaves a lot to be desired

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Recent reports show that Malawi is not benefiting much from mining. It only:• Contributes to less than 1% of the

national budget• 10% towards the GDP• 15% stake at Kayelekera Uranium Mine

(The largest mine in Malawi)• 17% import duty removed• Reduced Royalty Rate from 5%-1.5%

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

EIA procedures within the Malawi legislative framework are also known to suffer from a number of weaknesses.• The law requires that the proponent of a

project in accordance with such guidelines should carry out an EIA as the Minister may by Notice published in the Gazette

• Public participation including the participation of local communities is not an integral part of the EIA process in Malawi

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Kayelekera:- Water for domestic use is drawn from rivers that passes through the mine.-- The water plant was constructed about 1km south of the mouth of North Rukuru. This is against the agreement.-- Dust pollution on eastern side of the village.-- - Black paper from the mine used for roofing houses.-- Uranium Pollution in Water, Soil, Air, Plant not known. Villagers lives in fear.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, CONTINUED

• Kanyika: Incidences of surface water turning yellow. – Uranium pollution.

• Mchenga Coal Mine: Coal dust pollution

• Eland coal mine: Coal dust & chemical pollution in surface water.

OIL MINING ON LAKE MALAWI

• And now, oil has been discovered on Lake Malawi for Possible Exploration and Drilling

• Licenses awarded to two companies, Surestream Petroleum and SacOil Holdings Limited to start drilling oil on the lake

• Mixed views over Oil Exploration on the Lake

• Conflicts with our neighboring country Tanzania

• Over 2 million people depend on Lake Malawi for their source of income, food, transportation and water

CHALLENGES

SOCIAL CONCERNS• Loss of livelihood• Forces people out of their homes

with little or no compensation• Impact on health• Causes conflicts in communities

LABOUR ISSUES

• Workers are forced to work long hours• No job security• The pay is not good and workers are

exposed to hazardous situations

COMPANIES AND THEIR ROLE

It has been noted that these multinational companies do not give Malawians optimum benefits from these extraction activities. They do not even fulfill their corporate social responsibility

PROMISES STATUS

1. $10 million water project

Done (remains controversial)

2. To build a state of the art school

Rehabililated an old one

3. Will help build a mining town

Not done

4. Community hall Built

5. $1.8 million trust fund Not done

CSR

Is this the promised mining town? No electricity, no tap water

CSR continued

A CASE STUDY OF KAYELEKERA AND KANYIKA MINING COMMUNITIES

• Community members especially women do not have a say in issues affecting the community

• High HIV rate • Contamination of fresh waters• An increase in Female headed households• Environmental destruction thus a decrease

in food productivity, forcing women into the informal economy to find additional sources of income

KAYELEKERA URANIUM MINE

• No access to health care especially Sexual Reproductive Health Services

According to Dr Michael Kayange, the District Health Officer for Karonga district “There is no clinic at Kayelekela community. Kayelekela area is served by Wiliro Health Center; however plans are at an advanced stage to have a full health center constructed by Paladin at Kayelekela village. There is also a staff clinic at the mine manned by a foreign medical doctor NOT accessed by a common man.”

• Few women workers at the mine and some are sexually exploited

Only a few women attended the meeting

KANYIKA NIOBIUM MINE

The major problem in this area is Land grabbing thus massive displacements of people. Women and Children suffer the most.• Husbands sell land without knowledge of

their wives• Relocate to areas where they can not do

farming• Forced to join the informal sector to raise

money

RESSETLEMENTS

Kayelekera Uranium mine:• Gondwe family – US$70 per household for relocation.

Kanyika Niobium Mine:• US$200 – US$1500• Structures only not land• Hunger due to delays in effecting resettlements

WOMEN’S RESPONSE IN THESE AREAS

• Women are ready and willing to form groups-Our Organization is working towards that

• Have formed groups where they lend each other money when in need

There is still resistance from the community to let women be part of the decision making processes

THE ROLE OF OUR ORGANIZATION

• We are working to improve the lives of women in mining communities and to raise awareness on mining issues for the Protection of the communities rights and that women should be informed in decision making

• We had a Community Action and Research project which was setup to give support to the kayelekera community in Karonga to be able to effectively monitor the actions of the KUM. The members were equipped with skills to organize small groups and plan on how they can deal with problems arising from the mine.

THE ROLE OF OTHER CSOs

• Christian Aid and PACT Malawi have comprehensive programmes on integrated Cultural Approach focusing on negative cultural practices

• Theatre for Development provides a mobile ART Clinic providing ART and nutrition, peer education among miners and wives

• Women and Law in Southern Africa • Action Aid• Nasfam works with a proportion of female

members to help set them up in sustainable income generating activities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Provide a platform through which women can voice out the women rights violations and injustices within mining communities and support women design action plans to address these;

• If mining has to benefit women, the policy has to seriously ensure improvement on the work safety, security and sustainability issues of women workers in mining and offer equal opportunity

• Mining projects sanctioned should be based on the policy of people – centered approach (which includes gender-centered) rather than market approach.

• Networking and Relationship building by CSOs

• Encourage networking of women in mining communities, the larger the number, the more you are heard.

• Malawi needs to develop appropriate policies, monitoring and regulation mechanisms and technical expertise across mining, environmental and trade sectors, among others and ensure that communities benefit from them.

RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED

CONCLUSION

Malawi is a patriarchy society in which women have little or no say in issues that affect them or the community. There is need to create awareness through women’s voices on rights of women within mining societies and spearhead a process of addressing women rights violations in these societies. Malawi has a vast amount of resources, if well managed, they can transform the lives of its people. And to achieve this, we all need to work together.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

ZIKOMO KWAMBIRI