Create “policies that include women” in Lesotho, Catholic Social Justice Official to State

The seminar, Ms. Nkune said, was an opportunity for participants to engage with other like-minded women in business, to push for the creation of laws and policies that accommodate women.

“The aim of the seminar was to strengthen and empower the role of women in the extractive industries,” she said about the forum that brought together some 50 women, and added “we also sought to strengthen advocacy works and policy change for development in the extractive industry.”

Recalling the deliberations during the February 17 seminar, which the CCJP in Lesotho organized in partnership with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), Ms. Nkune said there is need for the extractive industries in Lesotho to provide training and employment opportunities for women.

“There are qualified unemployed women living in mining areas that would like to be given some sort of training in the mining industry” she said in reference to the discussions during the seminar that aimed at seeking ways to strengthen women economic participation in the extractive industry in Lesotho.

Ms. Nkune added, “If someone has a degree, the (mining) industry should offer that person two to three months training as an intern so that they can gain experience.”

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“There are many business opportunities for women in the mining industry; there are women in mining areas who are small scale farmers that can supply to the mines,” she told ACI Africa, recalling reflections from participants in the February 17 seminar who included women representatives from villages hosting mines and extractives in Lesotho, civil society, employees of mines, trade unions, businesses, and the government.

Sheila Pires is a veteran radio and television Mozambican journalist based in South Africa. She studied communications at the University of South Africa. She is passionate about writing on the works of the Church through Catholic journalism.