Why Promote and Support Women in Small Scale Mining

 There are million reasons why the state should support Women Artisanal and Small Scale miners, Here are few reasons why: (TAWOMA Report; 2011)

1. Evidence suggests that small scale mining enterprises owned by women are generally better
managed than those under male control.
2. Women, on average, are more concerned with environmental, health and safety issues of
mining than their male counterparts.
3. Women appear to be much more likely to spend mining incomes on children and the running
of households than the men, who are instead prone to wasting it on drinking, prostitution,
gambling and personal gratification.
4. Artisanal and small-scale mining is critically important for many poor communities,
providing temporary or full-time work and offering potentially the only source of income
5. Adopting a gender-sensitive approach that gives particular emphasis to the role of women;
6. Encouraging ‘fair trade’ markets for mining products;
7. Looking for ways to give women more power in their communities and their households.