Gender in Mining Governance: An annotated bibliography for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM)

The report compiles academic articles, toolkits, and policy documents focusing on the role of women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It highlights systemic marginalization, including restricted access to high-paying roles, finance, and land, while noting that ASM often provides a critical source of income and agency for women. The bibliography emphasizes the need for gender-responsive policies and formalization strategies to prevent further marginalization of women.

• The global artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector involves approximately 45 million people, with women estimated to make up nearly 30% of the global workforce as of 2003.
• Women in ASM face significant marginalization, often being restricted to lower-paid roles such as digging and excluded from leadership and decision-making structures.
• Gender-specific barriers to women's success in ASM include a lack of access to finance, capital, and land, compounded by restrictive gender norms and the double burden of unpaid household work.
• Despite these barriers, ASM is a vital economic resource for women, often providing higher earnings than other available options and supporting local development and household survival.
• Formalization processes in the ASM sector can unintentionally further marginalize women if they do not account for gender dynamics or if requirements are too arduous for women to fulfill.
• In conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs), such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, women face a high risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), yet protective policies can sometimes lead to their exclusion from lucrative livelihoods.
• Women's roles in ASM are sometimes influenced by the geomorphology of the site; for example, women are more likely to participate in extraction when deposits have a thin overburden layer.
• Health risks in ASM are gendered, with women often responsible for mercury amalgamation and decomposition, leading to specific health concerns for them and their children.

APA

Lyster, O., & Smith-Roberts, A. (2022). Gender in Mining Governance: An annotated bibliography for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/gender-mining-governance-bibliography-asm.pdf

Chicago

Lyster, Olivia, and Ashley Smith-Roberts. Gender in Mining Governance: An annotated bibliography for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/gender-mining-governance-bibliography-asm.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lyster |first1=Olivia |last2=Smith-Roberts |first2=Ashley |title=Gender in Mining Governance: An annotated bibliography for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=January 2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/gender-mining-governance-bibliography-asm.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lyster2022gender, author = {Lyster, Olivia and Smith-Roberts, Ashley}, title = {{Gender in Mining Governance: An annotated bibliography for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM)}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-01/gender-mining-governance-bibliography-asm.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }