Women and children bear the brunt of displacement caused by mineral exploitation in Africa

Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro stated that women and children suffer most when mining activities and resource conflicts displace communities in Africa. Speaking during a regional justice and peace workshop held from October 12 to 16 at the Padre Pio Retreat Centre in Pretoria, South Africa, Nyandoro noted that displaced families often receive insufficient compensation, which deprives them of adequate food, shelter, and livelihoods.

Nyandoro, the Bishop of Gweru and Secretary General of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA), said women and children face the greatest hardships on the ground while searching for basic necessities during periods of violence. He also serves as Vice President of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference and as the liaison bishop for its Commission for Justice and Peace.

The five-day workshop, organized by the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, examined the human and environmental consequences of mining. Participants discussed the unequal distribution of natural resources and the impact of mining on vulnerable populations, including water pollution, environmental destruction, and occupational diseases. The gathering sought ways for religious leaders to advocate more effectively for socio-political, economic, and environmental issues throughout the IMBISA region.