Women struggles and large-scale diamond mining in Marange,Zimbabwe

Abstract

The arrival of large-scale diamond mining activities brought hope and enthusiasm to many womenwithin and around Marange, Mutare District, Zimbabwe. Ordinary Zimbabweans believed that diamondmining would transform the lives of the region’s inhabitants. However, such anticipated transformationturned into rage and despair, and presented numerous challenges to residents, particularly women. Thisarticle examines the impacts mining activities have had on women in Eastern Zimbabwe, and explorestheir struggles.