Microsoft Word - Request for Investigation from ActionAid South Africa re Women in Mpumalanga Region

A request for investigation submitted by ActionAid South Africa to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, detailing how expansive coal mining and exploration in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa disproportionately violate the human rights of women and girls.

• As of December 2016, 60% of the land in the Mpumalanga province was either being mined or was under exploration, which has severely impacted communities relying on subsistence farming.
• Coal mining activities have caused severe water insecurity and pollution in Mpumalanga. Acid mine drainage and heavy metals make water non-potable and dangerous for bathing, causing rashes and eye irritation. In the town of Carolina, residents had been without access to clean water for over a year as of December 2016 (specifically since January 2015).
• Mining operations negatively impact the right to food by encroaching on farming and grazing land, sterilizing soil through acidic water drainage, and contaminating land with coal dust. This forces women, who are primary caregivers, to purchase food they previously grew, increasing their economic burden.
• Air pollution from coal mining releases particulate matter that exceeds acceptable limits, leading to respiratory problems such as asthma. Women and girls are further exposed to indoor air pollution by burning 'duff coal' (coal waste) for cooking and heating because they cannot afford electricity.
• Environmental degradation and poverty have driven women and girls into hazardous economic activities. This includes artisanal mining, which exposes them to toxins without safety equipment, and sex work, which is exacerbated by an influx of migrant workers. Consequently, Mpumalanga has the second highest rate of HIV for women aged 15-49.
• The South African government is accused of violating its own Constitution, the polluter pays principle, and international agreements—including CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol—by sanctioning these mining activities. Despite court rulings in favor of communities, access to clean water has not been restored.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2017). Microsoft Word - Request for Investigation from ActionAid South Africa re Women in Mpumalanga Region. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Request-for-Investigation-from-ActionAid-South-Africa.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Microsoft Word - Request for Investigation from ActionAid South Africa re Women in Mpumalanga Region. 2017. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Request-for-Investigation-from-ActionAid-South-Africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Microsoft Word - Request for Investigation from ActionAid South Africa re Women in Mpumalanga Region |date=26 October 2017 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Request-for-Investigation-from-ActionAid-South-Africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2017microsoft, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - Request for Investigation from ActionAid South Africa re Women in Mpumalanga Region}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2017}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Request-for-Investigation-from-ActionAid-South-Africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }