Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko.
THE government has continued to enhance women’s inclusivity in sustainable mining as part of efforts to empower them economically.
Speaking on Friday at a special symposium in Dar es Salaam ahead of International Women’s Day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, highlighted the increasing number of women in mining, hence, reducing male dominance in the sector.
He said that, according to the 2022 population census, the mining sector employs 6,030,575 people across the entire extraction value chain. Out of these, 3,094,647 people, equivalent to 51.3 per cent, are engaged in smallscale mining. More notably, about 1.5 million small-scale miners, equivalent to 27 per cent, are women.
Dr Biteko commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for championing women’s participation in the mining sector through capacity-building programmes, provision of soft loans and equipment and inclusion in decision-making processes.
He emphasised that women’s involvement in the extractive sector is crucial for expanding the mineral value chain and contributing to national development.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the extractive sector created 218,353 direct jobs in the 2020/2021 financial year, with 176,815 positions occupied by men and 41,538 by women.
Dr Biteko said the government has established an enabling environment through the National Gender and Women Development Policy of 2023 and the Mining Act of 2017, which prioritises Local Content Criteria to ensure Tanzanians fully benefit from the extractive sector.
He noted that academic empowerment for women has been facilitated through the Mining Commission and the Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA), which provide local training while also sending some women abroad for specialised courses.
“In 2023, five women were sent to China for specialised training in marketing,” he said.
Dr Biteko further revealed that the government has allocated 10bn/- to support smallscale women miners and that two out of ten recently procured drilling machines will be provided to them through TAWOMA.
He also stressed the need for public-private partnerships to boost women’s participation in the extractive industry. Minister for Minerals, Mr Antony Mavunde, commended the symposium organisers for highlighting the contributions of women in mining and national development.
He assured that the government remains committed to supporting women in the sector. Furthermore, he thanked President Samia for championing mining sector reforms, including the Mining Act of 2017, which has increased women’s participation in both extraction and value addition.
Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Ms Mwanaidi Ali Khamis, also lauded President Samia for establishing a ministry dedicated to women’s empowerment across all development sectors, including mining.
International Women’s Day will be observed globally on March 8 this year.
