Promoting Women’s Participation In Extractive Industry Governance
The negative impacts associated with the exploitation of mineral resources cuts across gender groups in affected communities. Women, however, bear the rife of these ill effects. Compensation regimes do not take into account the specific interest of women concerning the loss of livelihoods for women. Pollution of streams increases the workload of women and children who walk long distances in search of potable water for household use. Destruction of farmlands leads to loss of livelihood for the women and thereby reducing incomes of these affected women.
Generally, women are excluded from the decision-making process, particularly with issues relating to mining. Where they do participate, there is the issue of whether the women have the capacity to participate in such mining-related fora.
Wacam in collaboration with Oxfam West Africa is engaging Women’s Rights Organisations in the sub-region to improve women’s capacity to participate and engage government and the industry in demanding responsible mining activities.
The aim of this collaboration is to leverage on Wacam’s community rights and mining advocacy experiences to influence the regional mining policies and legal frameworks with the ultimate outcome of establishing gender-sensitive instruments in West Africa which would lead to improved outcomes for women.
As part of the activities, WACSOF is hosting a Regional consultation meeting on women participation in the extractive industry governance in Abuja, Nigeria form the 8th -10th of July 2019. Wacam with other Women’s Rights Organisations will undertake a visit to the ECOWAS Commission to make recommendations to integrate gender-sensitive issues in the development of ECOWAS Mining Act and propose the inclusion of CSO groups in the process as well.