End gender bias: NGO

Delight Sibanda

BULAWAYO-Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) has called on stakeholders to treat female waste pickers fairly.

The NGO used International Women’s Day to urge local authorities, the government and  waste management companies to adopt policies that advance the rights of female waste pickers. 

The organisation is implementing the ‘Bulawayo Women’s Waste Café Project,’  an initiative that seeks to transform the waste picking industry to be gender responsive, human rights based, and safe for women. “Our project found that female waste pickers face human rights violations including sexual abuse from sexual partners and male waste pickers, economic exploitation and unsafe working conditions,” said MIHR.

The NGO also noted further injustices suffered by female waste pickers in their attempts to access justice. “They also  face discrimination and revictimisation   which worsens their plight,” MIHR said.

In an effort to empower female waste pickers in Bulawayo with  necessary human rights, gender and digital skills, the organization has assisted them to form the  Bulawayo Female Waste Pickers Association which has registered over 380 members.