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PrintWomen and mining – workshops and conferences
Oxfam Australia has hosted a number of workshops and conferences for women affected by mining. These are an important opportunity for women to come together to learn more about mining in other countries, and to network and share their own experiences. Skills such as advocacy skills and action planning have been developed and reinforced. Importantly these workshops and conferences provide spaces for women's concerns to be voiced and prioritised.
Pacific women and mining conference (2007)
The Pacific meeting of the International Women and Mining Network was held in Madang, Papua New Guinea, from 24-26 October 2007 and was attended by women from Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste. These women represented mine-affected communities, indigenous peoples, non-government organisations, human rights agencies and mine workers.
The conference delegates explained how mining impacts them and their communities including:
- Negative impacts of mining on the environment such as pollution of rivers and land. As one delegate said: “When you have the environmental damage done to oceans, rivers and jungles, it affects families – because women take on board family issues, it is a women's issue.”
- Poor working and living conditions for mine workers, and discrimination against female workers
- Negative social and economic impacts including increases in the price of basic food stuffs around mine sites and family breakdown
- A lack of women in decision making
The Statement of the Pacific Regional International Women and Mining Network Meeting, prepared by conference delegates, calls for governments and all mining companies operating in the Pacific region to protect human rights and ensure that mining only occurs with the consent of local communities and with no negative impacts. The conference delegates also demand that revenue earned through mining is used to benefit local communities.
The third international women and mining network conference (2004)
Speaker at the conference in India. Photo: Ingrid Macdonald/OxfamAUSThe International Women and Mining Network, or Red Internacional 'Mujeres y Mineria (RIMM) , is a coalition of women concerned with mining and gender justice. The network highlights the condition of women living and working in mining regions. The activities of the network include campaign support to local struggles, research and information exchange, dialogue with governments and trade unions, and bringing women together for information exchange, training and solidarity.
In October 2004, Oxfam Australia sponsored women from Indigenous Australia and Papua New Guinea to attend the Third International Women and Mining Network Conference. This conference was organised by the Indian non-government organisation Mines, Minerals and People.
Women from 21 countries came together in Visag, India, to discuss the social, cultural, health and environmental impacts of mining on their communities under the theme of ‘Defending Our Lives, Demanding Our Rights'. Delegates also discussed labour issues, including women's work rights, equal pay for equal work, roles of women miners and women's work in the community.
Read the conference report to find out more.
Indigenous women and mining workshop: Karratha, Western Australia (2004)
Participant at workshop in Australia. Photo: Ingrid Macdonald/OxfamAUSThe Karratha Indigenous women and mining workshop was attended by more than 45 women representing the Ngarlama/Indjibarndi, Numar, Yamatji, Mulluma, Yindiburri, and Muradoo people to discuss the impacts of mining on their lives and communities.
The participants reported that mining in their communities had contributed to a lack of affordable housing, homelessness, racism, substance abuse, poverty, domestic violence, family breakdowns, loss of traditional foods and medicines, health concerns, employment discrimination and loss of sacred sites. The women argued that there was a correlation between the pervasiveness of these mining operations in and around Indigenous communities and the social, economic and cultural issues experienced by their communities.
Participants outlined the need for "political road mapping" where communities would develop action plans and work to improve the Australian Government's response to Indigenous issues. They also argued that women should become more actively included in government and community negotiations. The workshop concluded with recommendations including the:
- Establishment of an Aboriginal-controlled "training and employment" unit for the mining industry in Western Australia
- Need for independent social, gender and human rights impact assessments
- Adoption of international human rights standards by all mining companies operating within Western Australia
Mining, women and communities workshop: Lae, Papua New Guinea (2004)
Workshop participants develop an action plan. Photo: Ingrid Macdonald/OxfamAUSIn August 2004, women from across Papua New Guinea gathered to discuss the impact of mining on their livelihoods, culture and society. Delegates reported that mining has led to a lack of economic control, financial difficulties, land shortages, lack of access to information, misuse of power at local government level and the establishment of cultural barriers and divisions between women from different sectors of the community.
The participants believed that women have the often-untapped potential to be community leaders on mining issues. They voiced the desire to strengthen their networking and communication and improve their "leadership qualities" in an effort to effect change.
The workshop culminated in the creation of the Mine Affected Women's Foundation (MAWF) to "empower women who are affected by the activities of mining and guide them to think positively and become self-reliant." Since its establishment, MAWF has actively campaigned on women's issues in Papua New Guinea and is supported by Oxfam's local partner organisation, the Centre for Environmental Research and Development.
Read Echoes in the Wilderness and the statement prepared by MAWF members at their most recent workshop to find out more.
Tunnel vision: women, mining and communities forum (2002)
Former Mining Ombudsman Ingrid Macdonald speaking at the forum. Photo: Martin Wurt/OxfamAUSIn June 2002, Oxfam Australia convened the "Tunnel vision: women, mining and communities" forum in Melbourne, Australia.
The forum brought together speakers from Indigenous Australia and the Asia-Pacific who all have first-hand experience researching, addressing, campaigning and/or personally living with the gendered aspects of mining. This was the first forum of its type to be held in Australia, highlighting the need for more research and action to address the different and often destructive impacts of mining operations on women.
The forum and the resulting anthology of papers complied in the Tunnel vision: women, mining and communities report illustrates how women have been excluded from the economic benefits of mining and have borne the burden of many of its negative social and environmental impacts.
Drawing on their experiences in Indigenous Australia, Papua New Guinea, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, the speakers described the often devastating impacts of large-scale mining on local communities and the myriad ways in which women bear the burden of the negative consequences of mining.