Gender equality in the industry

WOMEN IN MINING

GENDER EQUALITY in the industry

Without question, gender inequality in the mining sector persists and is acutely represented by the lack of women occupying senior industry positions. By Dibuseng Hlole*

Dibuseng Hlole believes that there is a lot of potential for women in the mining industry to progress

Most of the decision-makers in many of South Africa’s mines are men. This is partly attributable to women being deprived of opportunities that would enable them to thrive in the industry like their male counterparts.

It is important to understand why women don’t progress as much as men in the mining industry. One of the reasons is that women are not treated the same as men in this industry – the perception that physical strength is an industry requirement persists.

Access to adequate skills and resources is another factor that prohibits women from progressing successfully in the industry. Under the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) leads the Women’s Rights and Mining organisation. The aim of this organisation is to establish a better understanding of gender dimensions of mining and create awareness and secure commitment to take action and uphold women’s rights in the mineral supply chains.

In my opinion, the MFA is not well recognised in most local mines. It is important that institutions such as the MFA collaborate with Women in Mining SA to access the database of women who are active in the sector. From a collaboration point of view, facilitating experience sharing and influencing policy on integration in the mining sector is essential.

Unlike in previous years, there are many passionate and dedicated women working in the mining industry

gender equality in the mining industry – the technical approach and the collaborative approach.

The technical approach mainly focuses on disenfranchised groups of women. These women often come from rural areas or don’t have formal qualifications and are often regarded as small-scale miners. The government often mentions formalising ‘zama-zama’ mines as a way of legalising such mines so that they are included as economic contributors in the mining industry and in the country’s economy.

Small-scale miners could potentially contribute 15% to 30% towards mining revenue in South Africa, which is a significant contribution. Establishing and implementing training programmes to assist disenfranchised women will empower them with the following: • equipping them with management skills • preparing basic balance sheets • discovering experienced female mentors in the industry • accessing the markets • upskilling opportunities • equipping them with skills to run small-scale operations. On the other side, the collaborative approach concerns women with qualifications in the mining industry. Women should be provided with the necessary resources that will help them to climb the ladder. There are many women with mining-related qualifications that enter the industry, yet do not progress in their careers and remain in the same position for many years. If the MFA works closely with such women, there will be a significant improvement in the progression of women in their mining careers.

The current skills available in the mining industry for women are not being sufficiently developed to help equip women and secure sustainable futures for young girls in our industry. Unlike in previous years, there are many passionate and dedicated women working in the mining industry. This means that there is a lot of potential for women to occupy senior positions in the sector.

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