Women mineral selectors from La Rinconada in Peru are being trained to improve their mining practices

• The comprehensive training program will last 7 months and is promoted by the alliance of planetGOLD Peru, Solidaridad, and the Swiss Better Gold Association.
• It is expected to benefit 150 women who are part of 6 associations of women mineral selectors from La Rinconada in Puno- Peru.

Although artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) produces 20% of all the gold extracted in the world, it generates 90% of employment in gold mining. 44 million people live from this activity, 30% of which are women. The gold sector faces a series of social, environmental, and political challenges, as is the case of the work of women miners in La Rinconada, a town located in Puno (Peru).

La Rinconada Plan was created to integrate and make visible the work of women in responsible gold production. This plan seeks to strengthen the capacities of the women mineral selectors of La Rinconada town. This is a comprehensive training program that will benefit 150 women who are part of 6 associations of women mineral selectors from La Rinconada association. On September 4th, 2022, the presentation of the Capacity Building Plan for the Women Mineral Selectors of La Rinconada - Puno was successfully carried out with the participation of more than 80 women miners from the area.

The strengthening Plan is divided into 3 thematic axes: i) formalization and associativity, ii) inclusion and financial education with a gender focus, and iii) strengthening of soft skills of leaders and training of mentors. Among the main objectives are to improve the legal situation of the associations that participate, develop a marketing proposal, have a business and entrepreneurship design, train mentors and leaders, and others.

During the second semester of 2022, training in financial education and associativity has been carried out. On Sunday, May 27th, 2023, a new presentation of the Plan was made to the new board of directors of the 6 associations of women mineral selectors from La Rinconada association.

This program is promoted by the projects focused on ASM: planetGOLD Peru, Solidaridad, and the Swiss Better Gold Initiative, with the support of international cooperation: the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the Swiss Cooperation SECO.