News & Voices

Gain insights into how the planetGOLD Philippines project addresses challenges and maximizes opportunities based on study results. To tackle these issues, the project team initiated the ASGM fora series, focusing on the theme "Empowerment through Engagement and Participation: A Forum on Government Information and Services for Small-scale Miners."

It was the first time I attended such an event. It really opened my eyes, to see the entire world come together for a common objective: to make mercury history.

The COP5 is unique in that it coincides with the eighth year since Mongolia ratified the Minamata Convention and the fifth year since the planetGOLD Mongolia Project was started and executed by the AGC.

The Government of Ghana (GoG), in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) organised an inception workshop and launch of Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funded planetGOLD Ghana project. The inception workshop which was attended by a cross section of high level stakeholders was addressed by the Resident Representative of UNDP, Dr. Angela Lusigi, the Programme Coordinator, Environment and Energy UNIDO Regional Office Hub, Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Oluyomi Banjo and the Executive Director, EPA, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu. Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the Project Coordinator presented overview of the Ghana project.

Sylvia is an artisanal gold miner in Central Uganda. She spends her days at Kayonza Mining Site—purchasing bags of ore, crushing, washing it—and searching for gold. The small droplet of mercury in her basin helps make sure she gets all the flecks of gold to sell at the end of the day.

Learn about the efforts to advance women's labor rights in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) and the informal economy through a series of Roundtable Discussions (RTDs) hosted by planetGOLD Philippines in Paracale, Camarines Norte, and Sagada, Mountain Province. The RTDs aimed to address challenges faced by women workers in ASGM, emphasizing the impact of unpaid care work on their economic independence. Participants discussed government support, training programs, and the need for sustainability. The discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration among government agencies and the establishment of a council for women workers in ASGM and the informal economy to create...

The planetGOLD Ghana Technical team embarked on site selection visit to some mining districts as part of activities to kickstart the implementation phase of the project. The team held discussions on the project interventions with Mine managers and some community members in the 3 mining districts.

Last year, Uganda passed the new Mining and Minerals Law, which for the first time, integrated regulations governing artisanal and small-scale mining. The new law includes provisions to ensure responsible mining practices, including health and safety, gender equality, as well as environmental protection.

The planetGOLD Uganda team meets with miners working at the Kayonza artisanal gold mine site to understand their needs and use of mercury across the country.

Abigail Ocate provides insightful reflections on the Minamata Convention on Mercury's fifth Conference of the Parties (COP-5).

In collaboration with the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, the planetGOLD Philippines project, conducted a leadership and organizational management training for the leaders of the project's partner mining association in Sagada, Mountain Province. The program aimed to enhance leadership skills and organizational management understanding, fostering resilience and innovation within the small-scale mining community in Sagada.

As Member States and observers gather in Geneva, Switzerland for the 5th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the planetGOLD programme aims to contribute to the global knowledge base on reducing mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Explore the information document the programme has published detailing lessons learned from technology transfer activities in planetGOLD phase 1 projects.