Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: Interventions for greater participation

The document argues that empowering women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) requires a holistic approach combining economic, social, technical, and political interventions. Key recommendations include literacy and awareness campaigns to challenge traditional norms, technical and leadership training to reduce dependency on men, and the provision of gender-sensitive financial services and equipment. It emphasizes the need for legislative reforms, such as mandatory gender-impact assessments within environmental impact assessments, and the promotion of women-led cooperatives and associations to improve market access and governance.

• A holistic empowerment strategy for women in ASM must integrate economic, social, technical, and political dimensions, starting with education and awareness to build confidence and knowledge of legal and human rights.
• Capacity building should focus on three primary skill sets: leadership training to manage mines and associations, technical skills (such as using geological data and retorts) to reduce exploitation by men, and business management skills including accounting and bookkeeping.
• Women in ASM face significant barriers to capital and market access; solutions include treating ASM as part of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting microfinance schemes, and establishing institutional buying arrangements that prioritize women to prevent exploitation by buyers.
• The formation of women's groups, specifically cooperatives and associations, is essential for empowerment, provided there is a framework for ethical governance and legal recognition to attract funding and policy influence.
• Legislative and regulatory reforms are urgently needed, including the adoption of a human rights approach to address gender-based violence and the requirement that gender-impact assessments be mandatory components of environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
• Health and safety interventions are critical for business sustainability and should include providing gender-appropriate safety gear, childcare facilities, and research into affordable mining equipment suited for women.

APA

Weldegiorgis, F. (2018). Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: Interventions for greater participation. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/igf-women-asm-interventions-participation-case-study.pdf

Chicago

Weldegiorgis, Fitsum. Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: Interventions for greater participation. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/igf-women-asm-interventions-participation-case-study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Weldegiorgis |first1=Fitsum |title=Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: Interventions for greater participation |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=September 2018 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/igf-women-asm-interventions-participation-case-study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{weldegiorgis2018women, author = {Weldegiorgis, Fitsum}, title = {{Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: Interventions for greater participation}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2018}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/igf-women-asm-interventions-participation-case-study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }