The Association of Zambian Women in Mining – AZWIM has called on government to support and promote the gemstone and jewelry industry in the country by providing appropriate a policy framework on access to affordable mining and value addition to enhance production.
Association Secretary General Pauline Phiri further noted the need to come up with a deliberate low tax regime for the Artisanal and Small Scale Mining – ASM to cushion the high production costs. This follows the prospective deal to export Gemstones and Jewelry to Ghana.
Speaking during a Mini Gemstones Expo Organized by Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry Mines, at Lusaka’s Government complex on 17 September 2019, Pauline disclosed that the Association is in the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Precious Minerals and Marketing Company – PMMC in Ghana which AZWIM will supply polished gemstones.
She said it is important to adopt the principle of responsible sourcing so that the sower of the rough gemstone are well traced from the mine to the market. “AZWIM has contributed to the jewelry industry as mine owners, traders and lapidary owners for 21 years now.
Some women have been recognized in the sector to the sector of being presented with the Zambian Development Agency – ZDA presidential Exporters Award both in the category of the highest female exporter SME and Female Award Exporter in the Medium to Large respectively, this is an indication of how useful women are in this sector,” She said.
At the same event, Minister of Gender Elizabeth Phiri has pledged government’s commitment to ensuring that Artisanal and Small Scale Mining in Zambia is taken to greater heights as the sector contributes largely to Zambia’s GDP and attracts 60% women participation compared to men.
The Gender Minister said Women entrepreneurship as an emerging force in todays’ economy continues to face a number of challenges such as inadequate access to finance, technological equipment’s and access to markets hence impeding the full potential of women in striving to develop their businesses.
She is confident that creating ties with PMMC in Ghana will leverage trade opportunities not only between the two countries but also on the international market due to combined and varied availability of precious minerals.
