[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1135, 299], "category": "Text", "text": "cooperatives with a view to better support and regulate the sector. The artisanal and small-scale mining sub-sector is facing many challenges. A recent census of development minerals in Zambia, conducted by the ministry of mines and ACP-EU Development Minerals programme, revealed that of the 109 mining plots visited in 10 provinces of the country, approximately 75% held legal licenses. A vast majority of the ASM operators were unaware that their activities required a licence."}, {"bbox": [96, 299, 1135, 530], "category": "Text", "text": "Regarding gender equality, the ASM poses an opportunity for better participation of women in the mining industry. However, the study on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining of 2019, revealed that of all the mines owned in the ASM sector, 17 percent were owned by women while 83 percent were owned by men due a number of challenges such as limited access to mining licences, inadequate information and financial support to enable women procure basic mining equipment, inequitable access to education and productive resources such as land, household labour, and limited empowerment and as well as cultural norms that hinder their participation in the sector²². These challenges are mutually reinforcing by different factors that impact women differently depending on their socio-economic status, age, disability status, etc."}, {"bbox": [96, 558, 515, 587], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Skills development for the mining sector"}, {"bbox": [96, 586, 1135, 989], "category": "Text", "text": "Artisanal and small-scale miners in Zambia mainly comprise youth and women²³ who have low-level skills or are unskilled. Most of the individuals are self-taught or learn through informal means. As the demand for copper and cobalt is expected to rise significantly over the coming years, the subsequent push by stakeholders, including government, towards formalization of the sector increases the demand for skilled labour. As the sector is dominated by people who lack education and technical knowledge, a lot of individuals participate in the less lucrative ASM operations such as stone crushing, washing, and panning. The push to formalize the sector should force operators to improve their skills, especially business skills, to meet the regulatory needs of formal ASM. If they do not up-skill, the consequences will be dependence on others or be sustained by less lucrative roles in the ASM value chain. It is anticipated that skills in understanding good mining practices, access to geological information, and knowledge of processes such as exploration, extraction, and processing will be essential for ASM miners and/or entrepreneurs. Aside from mining knowledge, individuals will also need to have skills in navigating the licensing business procedures, which consist of drafting several proposals and filling in forms."}, {"bbox": [96, 991, 1135, 1137], "category": "Text", "text": "It is also essential that the right environment is created to ensure that people who gain skills are able, at the end of the day, to use them. In order to do this, the 8NDP requires the government to encourage the formation of cooperatives among small scale and artisanal miners, as well as facilitating access to support services to enhance their productivity²⁴. This is particularly important in the ASM sector that consists of individuals, cooperatives, and small companies for mineral extraction."}, {"bbox": [96, 1137, 1135, 1397], "category": "Text", "text": "Upgrading skills and productivity of ASM goes hands in hands with improving their working conditions and knowledge and application of environmental and social standards. This becomes of paramount importance for ASM along the CRM value chain, to ensure that their mineral production can be part of a downstream industry able to attract foreign investors or to have access to international funds. The application of corporate social responsibility and ESG standards at all levels is increasingly scrutinized by international investors and condition to enter in many industrialised markets such as the European Union. Furthermore, inadequate technical skills and lack of access to geological information is also a major barrier for women to penetrate the sector and improve their financial capacity since geological information is crucial in developing bankable business proposals that can be avenues for funding."}, {"bbox": [96, 1397, 1135, 1455], "category": "Text", "text": "In terms of large scale mining, mining companies currently employ around 80% of the people in the sector and contribute to local economic development through the training they provide to direct"}, {"bbox": [85, 1500, 1143, 1551], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²² National Gender Policy 2030 and Ownership of artisanal and small-scale mining rights in Zambia, challenges and opportunities for women's participation. Policy Monitoring Research Centre, Report 2023."}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 534, 1573], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²³ Zambia 2023 Mining Report November 2023 PWC"}, {"bbox": [85, 1573, 1143, 1623], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁴ TEVET Policies and Systems in Zambia: Analysis of opportunities and challenges based on country assessment and priorities of TEVET with a focus on four economic sectors (agriculture, energy, mining, and tourism), ILO, October 2023"}, {"bbox": [608, 1654, 623, 1676], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "9"}]