Breaking barriers for women in mining

"Everyone should be able to find a career in mining. It's our responsibility as leaders to open that door." Laurel Sayer, CEO of Perpetua Resources
 

Despite the crucial role of women in the global mining industry, progress toward gender equality remains slow.  Women make up only 15% of the mining workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased job insecurity and reduced opportunities for women in this sector, underscoring the urgent need for support and robust safety protocols​​.
 

Women in Mining Face Unique Challenges

Women work in various mining settings, from large-scale to artisanal and small-scale, but encounter significant barriers to their full and dignified participation. Safety concerns, hazardous environments, and physical demands expose women to harmful substances, heavy machinery accidents, and extreme working conditions. Additionally, they face a higher risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)—a danger only recently recognized. 

Legislation also continues to hold back women’s participation in mining. A recent World Bank report analyzes over 30 national mining codes and land ownership frameworks. It shows that more than two-thirds of mining codes that regulate the management and production of minerals, and 80% of laws concerning property rights, don’t adequately support women’s access and control over resources. This is a problem that cannot be ignored: Women face numerous obstacles finding opportunities in the mining sector, and gender-inclusive mining laws are fundamental to leveling the playing field. Many provisions exclude women from owning businesses (including mining companies) or establishing bank accounts for their mining-related businesses without the consent of their spouses or, in the most drastic circumstances, ban women from underground mining jobs.

Additionally, women miners face significant challenges due to a lack of mentorship and career development opportunities. While women in mining organizations have played a critical role in promoting women’s advancement, these programs remain underfunded, according to a study jointly conducted by International Women in Mining (IWIM) and the World Bank.

Promoting Gender Diversity in Mining 

A recent survey found that mining companies have made some progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion, but they need to do much more to champion diverse talent and address talent shortages and skills gaps.

Companies with gender-diverse leadership are 25% more likely to outperform their least-diverse peers. The World Bank takes these findings seriously, choosing to boost procurement from companies whose leadership comes from underrepresented communities such as women, including in the mining sector. Diverse teams make better decisions and have higher employee satisfaction. For instance, BHP found that diverse mining crews at its sites have a 67% lower injury rate than non-diverse teams.

Gender diversity improves decision-making and problem-solving, leading to more innovative solutions and better business outcomes. Research has shown that companies with women board members have an average profit margin 23% higher than the top 100 mining companies.  Gender diversity also enhances a company's reputation and attracts top talent.  

Programs to eradicate violence against women in the mines, launched by companies like Rio Tinto for the large-scale mining industry, and equally supported by the World Bank for women in artisanal and small-scale mining, show promise but require significant scaling.
 

What the World Bank is Doing

Through the Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) trust fund, the World Bank aims to close the gender gaps in mining by helping governments develop and implement inclusive policies. We focus on creating environments that enable women's participation through training, capacity building, and establishing women's mining cooperatives and business associations. Currently, our work focuses on two main areas:

1. Building capacity and partnering with Women in Mining organizations to enhance women's roles in large-scale mining.
2. Promoting gender equality in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).

To improve women’s agency in the large-scale mining industry, the World Bank focuses on removing barriers that hinder women's workforce participation. As part of its Gender Strategy, these efforts include advocating for better safety protocols, flexible work arrangements, and supportive work environments that address the unique challenges women face (such as work-life balance and family care obligations), as well as promoting women's leadership and providing women access to financial resources​.

To enable gender equality in ASM, the World Bank has worked over the years to support women-led and women-run organizations, educate and transfer skills to boost women’s earnings in the gemstone sector, and support reporting and referral systems for SGBV-related incidences in mines. This approach ensures that mining can support both communities and surrounding ecosystems for long-term prosperity.   

We must continue encouraging governments and industry stakeholders to embrace gender diversity. This is critical to unlocking higher productivity, enhancing safety, and improving the global mining industry's reputation. Together, we can build a more sustainable and equitable future for mineral-rich countries and female miners alike.  

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