Mainstreaming gender in the mines: results from an Indonesian colliery

The mining sector has conventionally left women at the periphery of its vision despite womens active participation over the years. Consequently engendering or gender mainstreaming can be seen as the right direction to be followed if mining is to yield benefits for ordinary people in the communities in which the mines are sited. An awareness of gender issues has come to the mining sector through four distinct routes: The rising demands of gender equity in all walks of life; The unearthing of the history of women in the mines (we too were there) has made people conscious of their past roles and present contributions; The increased awareness of the economic potential of artisanal and small mining both of which involve a large number of women in developing countries. Little is known as yet about this form of mining or about the livelihoods created by women in different locations; The highly controversial issue of whether mining actually fosters development in the communities and nations in which its operations are located. This has been the subject of intense debate and is now being tackled through global initiatives such as the Mines Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) process the Extractive Industries Review (EIR) and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. (excerpt)