Women miners ask for FG intervention on abuse against members

Women in Mining in Nigeria (WINIM), have made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government, asking for  intervention on what the body described as prevalent cases of abuse against women in mining sites and host communities across  the country.

The founder and national president of WIMIN, Janet Adeyemi, made the call at the weekend in Lokoja at a training on Capacity Building for Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in Kogi.

According to her, women are constantly abused, misused, over-laboured, underpaid, short-changed and even raped by male labourers and staffers of mining industries.

Adeyemi, an engineer, who was represented by the Programme Coordinator, WIMIN, Ms Deloraine Dennis, said opportunities for women in the mining sector are too numerous, highlighting such opportunities as operators, engineers, academia and quarry fields, among others.

“We need the intervention of government in the area of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), because women have become prey to men who occupy decision- making levels at the mining industry.

“Also, most women do not have equipment to function effectively in the mining industry. We need to protect these women and train them to build their capacity,” she said.

Adeyemi claimed that the rate of molestation and assault of women in the mining sector was alarming, adding that “research has shown that 73 per cent of assaults against women are verbal.”

She said that though laws had been put in place, what remained was how to implement the laws and address the human rights violation so as to encourage women in the mining industry.

“The three-day training programme is all about protecting the rights of women in the mining sector, to tackle the issue of awareness through sensitisation.

“We want the participants to know environmental best practices, to ensure a safe mining environment

“We want them to be trained on financial literacy, on how to build their finances in the mining industry in terms of land, equipment and manpower, which are capital intensive.

“So, this training will impact the women with the required knowledge they need to advance in the solid minerals sector,” she said.

WINIM, a non-profit and non-political organisation is focused on women advancement by empowering them to engage in safe and sustainable mining practices in Nigeria.

It also ensures that gender and other human rights issues affecting women and children are properly addressed.

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In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Fatima Buba, commended the organisers for their support in building the capacity of women in the mining sector in the state.

Buba, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Women Affairs in the ministry, Mrs Roseline Ozovche, assured of the ministry’s readiness to intervene in any gender-based issue affecting women and children in the state.

On his part, Samson Vatong, Deputy Commandant and Head of Mines/Solid Minerals, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kogi command, assured WIMIN of the command’s continuous support in the mining activities of its members.

Also, the State Coordinator of WIMIN, Mrs Janet Ahiaba, said that the training would bring improvement in the various duties and roles in the mining operations.

A participant, Mrs Njideka Areh, said the training had so far exposed them to many things they needed to know about mining industry, especially the human rights aspect.