The Women in Mining in Nigeria (WINIM) has expressed worry over the level of abuse prevalent in most mining sites and host communities in the country.
The president/Founder of the association, Engineer Janet Adeyemi expressed the worry while paying an advocacy visit to members of the organization in Lokoja, Kogi state.
The advocacy visit was prior to the commencement of a three-day capacity-building training for women in mining in the state.
Adeyemi said that it’s on record that women are constantly abused, misused, overlaboured, underpaid, shortchanged and even raped by the male labourers and staff of mining companies.
“Considering the challenges above, Women In Mining In Nigeria with the support of the Open Society Foundation (OSF), has now launched a 1-year programme in 3 states of Nigeria with the sole aim of “Safeguarding the Rights of Women and Children in the Solid Minerals Sector in Nigeria”
She said that the companies also unlawfully welcome the labour of young children who should not be exposed to the mining environment yet but should be in school.
“The children are stretched and overlaboured by mining companies and their wages are given to their mothers who are equally on the mining site. ”,
According to her, Kogi State is one of those 3 states selected to embark on capacity-building training for the female miners in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Others states on the list include Ekiti State and Bauchi State and with states chapters established across the 6 geo-political zones in Nigeria which has given the organization a national outlook.
WINIM is a non-profit, non-political organization focused on Women’s advancement by empowering women to engage in safe and sustainable mining practices in Nigeria and ensure that gender and human rights issues affecting women and children are properly addressed.
Other activities revolve around capacity building, health, and safety, sustainability, good and inclusive governance, economic integration of women through digitisation Into the metal market, promotion of responsible mining, sourcing and value chain addition, and taking advantage of network regionally, in Africa and globally.
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