He called for gender-specific interventions to achieve sustainable change in economically empowering individuals involved in artisanal small-scale mining.
Dr Aubynn made these remarks in an interview on the sidelines of the National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the International Development Research Centre’s Women Rise Project.
The event, held in Accra, was attended by key personalities and individuals who facilitated and benefited from the Women Rise Project.
It was complemented by research to examine the resilience of adolescent girls and young women in artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana.
Dr Aubynn highlighted the inherent limitations of generalised livelihood programmes, explaining that they often failed to address the distinct economic realities of men and women in mining areas.
“While men, who typically reap the larger financial rewards of mining, tend to be reluctant to abandon lucrative mining activities,” he said.
“When it comes to alternative livelihood programmes like long-term agricultural ventures, women, who endure grueling labour for meagre wages, are far more receptive to alternative opportunities. Women are more amenable to alternative livelihoods from small-scale mining or ‘galamsey’.”
Dr Aubynn said women generally worked, carried children on their backs, and performed arduous tasks, but received meagre salaries.
He underscored the harsh realities they faced by women in artisanal mining, where they often work under arduous conditions, balancing childcare with physically demanding tasks for minimal compensation.
That vulnerability, he said, made them prime candidates for targeted empowerment programmes.
Dr Aubynn advocated a shift towards interventions that prioritised the provision of trade skills and start-up capital tailored to women’s preferences.
“By allowing women to choose their preferred livelihood paths and providing the necessary support, programmes can achieve a higher success rate,” he said.
The Women Rise report revealed the prevailing vulnerability of women involved in artisanal mining during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report noted that most women are paid less than their male counterparts for the same activities, leaving them socially vulnerable.
It also noted that contextual poverty worsens women’s vulnerability, leading to sexual exploitation, particularly transactional sex, and exposing them to sexually transmitted infections.
The event featured activities such as the presentation and overview of the research, contributions from research team members, and impactful stories by beneficiaries of the Women Rise project in vocational programmes.
GNA
