13 June, 2024Women miners in Sub-Saharan Africa are seeing the adoption of newer technologies as a game changer in the sector. With artificial intelligence and big data having an impact on mining, there are huge benefits that are expected to accrue for women in mining.
This was one of the key threads running through discussions of the women in mining conference in Accra Ghana on 7 June. The conference theme was: Women in mining, changing perspectives and changing lives.
The panel discussions were on sustainable mining that considered environmental, labour, and community issues, and supporting women in leadership roles. Some of the key issues discussed included reversing the male domination of the mining industry through pushing for the women’s agenda on skills and capacity development. Further, mining policies should be inclusive of women to eliminate gender bias and improve access to training. Building knowledge, skills, expertise, and visibility for women miners were identified as pivotal by the delegates.
The conference emphasized that women miners should enjoy maternity protection as per national laws and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 138 on maternity protection. Daycare centres for children should also be introduced by mining companies at the mines.
Breaking down barriers that impeded women’s advancement in the mining industries was identified as crucial by the participants. These barriers include gender inequality, gender-based violence and harassment, the gender pay gap, gender biases, and the absence of work-life balance. These barriers have been well illustrated in the Intergovernmental Forum (IGF) report on women and the mine of the future that identifies, in 12 countries including Ghana, Zambia and South Africa, the main data gaps and challenges that need to be addressed to enable evidence-based policy-making and open opportunities for women to participate in the future of mining.
IndustriALL Global Union was represented by affiliates from Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The conference was organized by Women in Mining Ghana (WiM Ghana) with support from various corporations. WiM Ghana, aims to improve and retain the employment of women in the mining industry and its supply chains including in artisanal and small-scale mining, has stakeholders that include trade unions, civil society organizations, and large and small-scale enterprises. WiM Ghana also supports the inclusion of women miners in the attainment of sustainable development goals to end poverty and promote gender equality as well as workers’ rights and decent working conditions.
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional secretary, who also participated at the conference said:
“The mining sector is technical and highly skilled, but that does not mean that women cannot thrive as mineworkers. Women must be allowed into the artificial intelligence space and be provided with equal opportunities. This can only happen when the labour market becomes gender sensitive through the removal of discrimination and harmful cultural and religious practices and stereotypes.”