Women in Mining Nigeria seeks to end gender violence in mining

The Women in Mining Nigeria (WIMIN) is advocating for measures to address gender violence and child abuse in the mining sector.

The  agency emphasize the need for increased participation of women in the industry, as currently, women’s access to land and finance is limited, resulting in their representation being only six percent, which they consider too low. The male-dominated nature of the Nigerian mining sector creates significant challenges for women who aspire to engage in the industry.

Gender violence in mining

WIMIN’s president, Engr. Janet Adeyemi, expressed the organization’s commitment to creating an open and safe mining environment for all women, including professionals and artisans pursuing careers in mining. She stated that WIMIN is determined to eradicate gender-based violence in the mining sector. Adeyemi highlighted various obstacles faced by women in mining, such as lack of training and education, difficulties obtaining mining licenses, limited representation, displacement and loss of livelihoods, and emotional trauma.

During their national summit themed ‘Safeguarding the Rights of Women and Children in the Solid Mineral Sector,’ WIMIN outlined their activities, including extending advocacy to Bauchi State and organizing a State Policy Dialogue to address gender and child abuse in the sector. They successfully established a fully functional State Chapter of Women in Mining in Bauchi State, which aims to champion their goals. Additionally, WIMIN engaged with the Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs to protect and enforce children’s rights, despite limited resources hindering their ability to investigate cases of child labor and abuse in mining sites across the state. They plan to escalate women’s and children’s rights violations in Kogi State to the national level and seek support from state actors and stakeholders.

Deloraine Dennis, the Programme Manager of WIMIN, called for the protection of women and children in the mining sector. She highlighted the importance of granting women access to decision-making processes and leadership positions in the industry, as their exclusion limits their significant contributions to sector development and the overall economy of the nation.