Addressing Gender in the Artisanal & Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector

While women are active in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) workforce, they also typically face a range of gender-specific barriers that prevent their full participation. The planetGOLD programme is committed to supporting and creating sustainable opportunities that strengthen gender inclusiveness in ASGM.  Country projects take several measures to ensure the active inclusion of women’s voices and concerns in all phases of their projects, from stakeholder engagement (such as project kick-off meetings, trainings, and steering committees) to special gender baseline studies and gender equity planning, to the design of specific gender-focused interventions that enhance the participation women in ASGM.

This guide describes approaches to address challenges faced by women in ASGM and provides select examples of planetGOLD activities and interventions to date that have supported greater participation by women in formalization, access to finance, and adoption of new mercury-free technology. The guide also examines efforts to improve public perceptions about women in the ASGM sector through enhanced communications.