Jacklyn Belo-Enricoso

Women make up 10-30% of the workforce at ASGM sites in the Philippines, according to mining association leaders and other local stakeholders. The planetGOLD Philippines project looks at the roles women play, their income opportunities, exposure to mercury, and initiatives to promote gender equality in the sector.

Staff with the planetGOLD project team in the Philippines report that as a result of the Enhanced Community Quarantine that has been imposed due to COVID-19, women in the small-scale mining town of Itogon are facing various livelihood and economic challenges, and there are indications that gender inequalities are now exacerbated. This article sheds light on the situation these women face, and recommends several responses to improve gender equality.