Women and the Mine of the Future

Rapid technological advances, increasing calls for sustainability, and the low-carbon energy transition are transforming large-scale mining across the globe. But the lack of high-quality, gender-disaggregated employment data leaves decision-makers ill-equipped to effectively support a more equal and inclusive mining workforce.

To help remedy the situation, the Women and the Mine of the Future Global Report looks at a sample of 12 countries to uncover the gender-disaggregated employment profile for large-scale mining, focusing on women and their occupations in the sector.

The report begins with a cross-country analysis that compares the data against commonly held assumptions and key trends in the sector. Next, the researchers consider what the unfolding transformations will mean for mining occupations. The report goes on to identify the main data gaps and challenges hindering evidence-based policy-making and opportunities for women to fully participate in the future of mining. The report concludes with policy recommendations for governments, companies, and workers to consider.

This global report is the final outcome of the first phase of the Women and the Mine of the Future project. It is a collaborative project led by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) which has been hosted by IISD since 2015. Project partners are comprised of International Women in Mining, International Labour Organization, German Agency for International Cooperation, and the Environmental Governance Programme run by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and United Nations Development Programme.

Women and the Mine of the Future: Country reports 

• Argentina: Español (GIZ);
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Ghana
• Mongolia
• Peru: English and Español
• South Africa
• Sweden

To come: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Zambia.