PARTNER STORY
DIGGING FOR DIAMONDS IS A WOMAN’S JOB
IIn Namibia, where 52% of the population is women and we have 46% female representation in the national assembly, the statistic of only 21% female employment in the Namibian mining industry called for action. This call was wholeheartedly answered by B2Gold and other large players in the industry through their support for the first Leadership Development for Women in Mining Conference, held in April 2017 and spearheaded by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Kornelia Shilunga. During this conference, the Women in Mining Association for Namibia was conceptualised and a group of exceptional women were tasked with setting up the association. On 10 November 2017, WiMAN was officially launched with endorsements from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Chamber of Mines and WiMInternational. For Zenzi Awases, the conference was a watershed moment: “When I arrived at the conference, I was probably one of the most demotivated ones there. I was at the lowest point in my career, having just
witnessed how a male colleague who started at the same time as me, had catapulted way past me. That really pushed me back. “I remember telling the ladies, ‘I’m gracefully bowing out. I’m tired of leaning in.’ I have a six-year-old daughter, Malika, and I even said that I would discourage her from entering any male-dominated industry. “There are some women who’ve made it through to senior management and I think there’s one female executive director in the entire mining industry. That’s one out of 39 executive directors. We’ve realised that we are passionate about our industry, we’ve made the right choice, but as women there are things that are frustrating, and together we can create change. “I’ve realised that somebody has to pave the way. It is really a pioneering movement that I’m very proud to be a part of.” The association’s main objective is to create a platform for collective reflection on and consensus building of women’s concerns in the industry. Its focus on gender diversity and
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inclusion is supported by B2Gold Namibia, Namdeb, Dundee Precious Metals, Skorpion Zinc, Vedanta, Debmarine and the Chamber of Mines. The push for more women in the mining industry isn’t just fairness or equality; it’s a necessity in an industry that struggles with inclusivity. There is a need for women to be recognised in leadership and management roles within the mining industry, and also to ensure that mining companies within the country create a conducive working environment and opportunities for growth for women. The purpose of WiMAN is to address these issues with one voice and to bring awareness of inclusivity into the workplace so that differences are valued – not simply tolerated or accepted. WiMAN’s Constitution sets out its vision, which is to attract more females to the mining sector and assist them to reach their full potential, with specific objectives to create an empowering network that will inspire, support and develop the advancement of women working