Gaborone: The Women in Mining Conference that started today, Wednesday, November 1, 2023. The event will run for two days and conclude on November 2. The event is taking place in Gaborone, Phakalane.
Debswana is a Gold Partner of the initiative where the women in Botswana and the other notable people in the field will share their stories.
The theme of the event is: A NEW DRIVING FORCE IN MINING: Unveiling the Next Generation of Women Leadership In Mining in Botswana and Beyond. This year the organizers are hosting the fifth edition of the conference.
The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi addressed the conference at the opening He urged the attendants to appreciate the role that women play in the workplace especially in mining.
As the women have started working in the field of Mining they have seen an increase in production and productivity. The minister believes that this is because of the carefulness and thoughtfulness of women.
Moagi also highlighted the Debswana Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) as a tool that can be leveraged to spur more women participation in the mining sector and the economy at large.
Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng served as the guest speaker at the conference. She urged the attendantsto break the mould and disagreeing with the the notion that women cannot achieve or do certain tasks. Professor Phakeng also encouraged allies of women empowerment to reject the African narrative that perpetuates patriarchy as it restricts women from reaching their true potential.
She also called for the abolishment of double standards towards women leaders by both men and women.
The Chairperson of the conference organising committee, Malebogo Marumoagae, shared their journey in creating this platform. She told the audience that they have experienced significant growth, citing that they had few attendants at the initial conference compared to this edition, where the venue is filled.
Country Executive Director for Sandfire Motheo Mine, Mr Dale Ian Burgess, presented the achievements of their operation, underscoring the importance of transitioning from awareness to action.