Group decries rape of women miners

Women miners under the aegis of Women in Mining in Nigeria Initiative (WIMIN), have decried lack of access to mining rights and licences which is created by government’s complex bureaucratic procedures which has created huge stumbling blocks to their mining businesses and rape of female workers at mining sites.

The women miners expressed their displeasure during a two-day high-level national summit with the theme: ‘Safeguarding the rights of women and children in the Nigerian solid minerals sector.’

The founder and national president of WIMIN, Janet Adeyemi, in her welcome remarks, disclosed that the group conducted in-depth research, which revealed increasing incidents of rape at mining sites, particularly in Bauchi State.

“Women face obstacles in obtaining mining licences and permit due to complex bureaucratic procedures, lack of information and corruption.

“Women are often excluded from decision-making processes and leadership positions in the mining sector, limiting their involvement and representation.”

“Our research revealed numerous cases of abuse in the sector that urgently need to be unveiled and addressed.”

“In Bauchi, for instance, private stakeholders raised the alarm regarding the increasing incidents of rape at mining sites.

“Although government officials in the state acknowledged this issue, they expressed their commitment to addressing this menace and providing a safer mining environment for female miners.”

“Some of the challenges Nigerian women encounter in mining include: “Exclusion from decision-making processes related to extractive industries, limiting their ability to voice concerns and influence policies.

“Women in Nigeria often struggle to secure funding and capital to start and sustain their mining businesses. Financial institutions and lenders are often hesitant to provide funding to women, citing a lack of collateral, experience, and a proven track record,” she said.

Adeyemi also disclosed that mechanisms are already in place at the state level to ensure the organization sets women and children free in the mining sector.

“All within their capacity will be done to make the industry convenient for women and children irrespective of their backgrounds.

“Women in mining in Nigeria extended our advocacy to Bauchi State. We visited key actors in the solid minerals sector and organised a State Policy Dialogue, bringing together stakeholders to focus on strategic ways to end gender and child abuse in the sector.

“In the presence of female miners in Bauchi, all state actors and stakeholders in the solid minerals sector demonstrated their unwavering commitment to ending all forms of abuse and strengthening their relationship with female miners.

“We had organised the female miners and inaugurated a fully functional State Chapter of Women in Mining in Bauchi State, which will champion the realisation of our goals. This was a remarkable success for us in Bauchi State,” she added.

She said that the Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs has been reached and engaged in the need to protect and enforce children’s rights and to be an integral part of their mandate.

“At the state level, Women In Mining has engaged various stakeholders through advocacy and policy dialogues. Nevertheless, we intend to escalate the issues of women’s and children’s rights violations in Kogi State to the national level.

“We have already partnered with the National Human Rights Commission and have been integrated into the solid minerals sector of Nigeria since 2018 by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

“We will leverage these partnerships, both locally and internationally, to address the issues affecting women and children in the mining sector of Kogi State.

“I take this opportunity to appeal to state actors and all stakeholders in the sector to provide us with their unwavering support as we strive to end gender abuse, child labour, and molestation in the sector,” she reiterated.

The Programme Manager of WIMIN, Deloraine Dennis, noted that the summit is to create access to justice and protection of the rights of women in mining in Nigeria.

“Women are often not included in the decision-making processes as well as leadership positions in the mining industry in terms of representation even when they have the requirements,”she observed.

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