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Front cover: Jemimah John and her daughter live near the Gold Ridge
Mine in the Solomon Islands. Women from my community didnt get to
share in the mining royalties, we werent consulted. It was hard for us
to negotiate. Men just see the big money coming, and they dont want to
hear the women talking. It would be better if the government and mine
worked with the community, if they came and spoke to us when they
wanted to do things, said Jemimah.
Photo: Lara McKinley/OxfamAUS.
Oxfam Australia 3
Executive summary
This report informs mining company staff of the A gender impact assessment framework for mining
potential gender impacts of mining projects and projects
introduces some tools and approaches that they
can use to conduct a gender impact assessment STEP 1: COLLECT DATA
of these projects. These tools should be of
Collect and compile baseline data that is disaggregated
particular interest to community relations advisors
by sex and other categories such as ethnicity and
as they are designed to help incorporate gender
socio-economic status/level of poverty.
into community assessment and planning tools
including social baseline studies, social impact STEP 2: UNDERSTAND CONTEXT
assessments and risk analysis, community
mapping exercises, and monitoring and evaluation Undertake a context analysis to understand the
plans. communities that may be affected by a mining project,
how they are structured, how they function, and the
By undertaking a gender impact assessment mining roles and responsibilities of women and men in these
companies can ensure that their activities respect communities.
the rights of women and men; promote womens
This includes understanding:
empowerment and participation in community decision-
making processes; and increase the benefits of mining. womens and mens roles and the gender division of
labour;
The report also encourages the informed and the differences between womens and mens access
meaningful participation of women and men from mine- to and control of resources;
affected communities in gender impact assessment
factors that influence the differences identified in
processes and supports the achievement of gender
gender roles, division of labour, and access to and
equality.
control of resources and other benefits;
This report presents a gender impact assessment the influencing roles of state, market and community
framework to help assess and then avoid the potential institutions and how they may perpetuate gender
negative gender impacts of a mining project. This inequality; and
framework should be adapted as necessary for the womens, mens and the communitys resources,
specific situation or context and is summarised below. assets and strengths.
Oxfam Australia 5
1. Introduction: business, human
rights and gender
Business can and does contribute to the promotion starting point is to conduct a gender impact assessment
of human rights and can help people to find a the topic of this report.
pathway out of poverty by generating economic
Additionally, the design of company-level grievance
growth and employment. However, some areas of
mechanisms should follow some basic principles to
business activity can have a negative impact on
ensure womens participation in grievance resolution
human rights and cause poverty and injustice; this
processes. This includes ensuring the mechanism is
can occur across a range of industries, including
accessible to women being mindful of any barriers
mining, and have a gendered impact.
that might otherwise prevent women from using the
It is widely accepted that business has a responsibility mechanism and rights compatible, in both substance
to respect human rights or in other words, to do and process. The mechanism must be based on the
no harm. In his Protect, Respect and Remedy inclusion, participation and empowerment of women
framework1, Professor John Ruggie, United Nations and men, and with attention to vulnerable people
Special Representative on Business and Human which in some contexts may include women.
Rights, suggests that businesses can best meet
It is acknowledged that many mining companies have
this responsibility by employing a human rights due
anti-discrimination and employment policies that
diligence process. This requires companies to become
actively promote womens employment in what is often
aware of, prevent, and address adverse human rights
considered to be a male-dominated industry. It is
impacts. Core elements of this process include having
also acknowledged that some mining companies are
a human rights policy; undertaking human rights impact
developing their own guidance material to help them
assessments; integrating human rights throughout
integrate gender into their community relations work.
the company; and tracking as well as reporting
performance.2 Mining companies will fulfil their responsibility to
respect human rights by paying close attention to
Research undertaken for Professor Ruggie3 shows that
the gendered impacts of their operations. This may
a high proportion of alleged cases of corporate-related
help companies receive and then retain a social
human rights abuses occurs in the extractive industries
licence to operate. In addition, the potential negative
sector. It is therefore essential that mining companies
impacts of mining operations and the associated costs
have robust due diligence mechanisms in place, and
to the company in terms of possible legal, financial
process to remedy any grievance experienced by
or reputational risks and to communities can be
communities, to meet their responsibility to respect
minimised.
human rights.
The impacts of mining operations are not gender in society, particularly where newly-created gender
neutral. Women can experience the direct and roles emphasise womens work in the domestic
indirect consequences of mining operations in sphere, ie their reproductive work, and undermine
different, and often more pronounced, ways than their productive and leadership roles.
men.
The effects of environmental damage and
The particular experiences of women have been degradation can undermine womens capacity to
explored and documented in numerous forums by provide food and clean water for their families, and
Oxfam Australia and others. The grievances voiced by subsequently lead to an increase in their workload
women from mine-affected communities and women such as having to walk greater distances to access
mine workers reveal that mining can, and often does, water, fuel/wood, forest products and land to plant
impact on women and those things of concern to food crops.
women. For example: As men gain employment in mines, there is
The failure to consult with women when negotiating a withdrawal of male labour from traditional
a communitys free, prior and informed consent subsistence activities. This can result in an
to develop a mining project, access to land, increased work burden for women who become
compensation and royalties disempowers women, solely responsible for subsistence activities and
and may go against traditional decision-making providing for families.
structures. Due to the decline of traditional mechanisms of
The payment of compensation and royalties to men social control and the influx of a transient male
on behalf of families and communities denies workforce, social and health problems can become
women access to and control over the financial more prevalent in communities. These problems
benefits of mining. This encourages womens can include increased alcohol use, domestic
economic dependence on men, disempowering violence, sexual violence, sexually transmitted
them, skewing gender relations or exacerbating infections and HIV and AIDS, and prostitution.
existing inequalities. Additionally, women-headed Women can experience discrimination in the mine
households may not receive payments if they do not workplace. Employment and training opportunities
have a male representative. are often prioritised for men and women are only
Loss of land and displacement can lead to loss of allowed to work in the most menial, low-paid
livelihoods and increased work burdens for women positions. Maternity leave may not be provided
in providing for their families. Where women are and women returning from childbirth or caring for
traditionally responsible for meeting the subsistence children may struggle to regain employment.
needs of families, and are no longer able to do so
The grievances expressed by women including
due to loss of land, they can be forced to become
those with a human rights dimension identify
economically dependent on men and the income
particular areas of concern that need to be addressed
derived from formal employment.
in the planning and implementation of mining projects.
Displacement and the shift from a traditional
These grievances can be mitigated through gender
subsistence economy to a cash-based economy
sensitive and responsible mining practices. Attention
can lead to the loss of traditional values and way
to gender analysis and planning will contribute to
of life. This can diminish womens traditional status
sustainable development and gender justice. This
is particularly important when operating in weak
governance zones.
Oxfam Australia 7
3. Gender impact assessment:
an introduction
Gender refers to the socially constructed roles the experiences of women as distinct from, and in
and relationships between women and men. These relation to, the experiences of men;
are learned, change over time, and vary within
who has access to and control over resources,
and between countries and cultures according to
assets and the benefits from the project; and
social, religious, historical and economic factors.
Gender contrasts with sex, which describes a set the ways in which women may be subordinate to
of biological differences between men and women. men for example if women have less access
Gender roles and responsibilities affect womens to resources such as land, income and political
and mens ability and incentive to participate in influence and through what mechanisms this
development activities, and lead to different project inequality is maintained and reinforced.
impacts for men and women.5 an understanding of womens and mens different
needs, priorities and strengths. This includes
The objective of gender impact assessment is to
identifying:
ensure that projects avoid negative impacts on women
and other members of their communities, and to womens practical gender needs; and
promote womens empowerment and participation. A womens strategic gender interests.
gender impact assessment should be undertaken as
an understanding of the barriers to meeting
part of or along side social, human rights and economic
womens and mens needs and interests and the
impact assessments.
risks related to gender equality issues, including
Gender impact assessment allows project planners resistance to change from various quarters and
to consider the impact that a project may have on possible backlash;
women, men, boys and girls, and on the economic and the identification of opportunities for greater equality
social relations between them. Gender analysis can and empowerment for women; and
ensure that neither women nor men are overlooked
or disadvantaged by development projects; increase recommendations to address womens practical
the effectiveness of projects; help project staff to needs and strategic interests. In particular, a gender
identify barriers to women and men participating in and impact assessment should provide answers to the
benefiting from a project; and help project planners following questions:
and implementers to identify appropriate strategies for 1. What are the likely impacts of this project on
involving women and men and meeting their needs.6 women, their needs and their interests?
A gender impact assessment must consider and 2. How will addressing the concerns of women and
provide: improving gender equality contribute towards a
more sustainable project?
sex-disaggregated household, workplace and
community data relevant to the project; 3. How can womens practical needs and strategic
interests best be supported and advanced by the
an understanding of gender relations and their project?
implications including an understanding of:
5 See Appendix B for more terms and definitions Right: Juanita Cut-ing at her home in Didipio, the
6 Juliet Hunt, A Human Rights Approach in Practice: Gender Analysis, Philippines. Juanita is concerned that mining in her
Mainstreaming and Human Rights in Gillian Moon (ed), Making Her Rights a community will put her agricultural-based livelihood at
Reality: Womens Human Rights and Development (1996) risk. Photo: Jason McLeod/OxfamAUS.
Following is a suggested framework for assessing Care is needed to ensure that the collection of the
the potential gender impacts of a mining project and baseline data and participatory analysis that follows
draws on elements of various frameworks. This should occur at times and places convenient for women to
be adapted as necessary for the specific situation or maximise their opportunity to participate.
context.
Oxfam Australia 9
STEP 2: UNDERSTAND CONTEXT in the family field, family shop) and other important
information.
Womens and mens roles and the gender division
of labour This information can later be used to identify how
a mining project could impact on the workload and
A thorough context analysis allows mining companies income of women and men in a community and
to understand the communities that may be affected whether or not these impacts affect one group
by a mining project, how they are structured, how they disproportionally. For example, the analysis could
function, and the roles and responsibilities of women consider whether mens employment at the mine
and men in these communities. results in the withdrawal of male labour from traditional
To understand the way a community functions and subsistence activities, and whether this would then
the diverse impacts a mining project could have, it increase womens workloads as they become solely
is essential to analyse the roles of women and men, responsible for subsistence activities and providing for
and how the relationships between women and men families.
determine these roles and responsibilities. Access to and control of resources
The Harvard Analytical Frameworks activity profile The differences between womens and mens access
(Table 1) is a useful tool for the collection and analysis to and control of resources are a potential indicator
of data on gender roles and the division of labour. of the power imbalances between them. The Harvard
Caroline Mosers gender roles identification approach Analytical Frameworks access and control profile
could also be used. In addition to productive and (Table 2) can be used to track womens and mens
reproductive roles, Mosers framework considers access to resources, their control over these resources
womens and mens contributions to community work and the benefits derived from their use. Control means
hence acknowledging the triple roles that women play. the ability to make decisions about the use, including
The activity profile shown below can be adapted the sale, of a resource and is therefore considered
to include different age groups (ie adults, children, separately to the question of access.
elderly), time allocation (percentage of time allocated to This tool can also be used to consider who would
each activity), where the activity is performed (ie home, have access to and control over the benefits that
Oxfam Australia 11
An institutional analysis should identify the power a transient male workforce. The introduction of these
structures, rules, practices, activities and influence issues to a community can cause changes in social
of institutions, examining how they interact with, relations and roles, community values and ways of
create and reinforce inequality, poverty and womens life. The next step in the gender impact assessment
subordination. An institutional analysis should consider requires an analysis of the intersection of these and
how a mining project may reinforce these institutional other context specific issues introduced by the mining
inequalities and the relationship between institutions project, and the structural and institutional aspects of
for example the police and army, or local council of the community identified by the context analysis.
chiefs and the company.
In particular, the intersectional analysis should examine
Resources, assets and strengths how the development of the mining project will interact
with and impact on:
Finally, the context analysis should identify the capacity
of women and men to respond to change or crisis, gender and power relations within the community;
and identify womens, mens and the communitys womens access to and control over resources,
resources, assets and strengths. including the potential benefits of the mining project;
Issues commonly introduced by mining operations It is important that the intersectional analysis identifies
include displacement, loss of land and livelihood; the indirect, as well as the direct, consequences of the
environmental impacts; the availability of formal mining project on the community, and that women and
employment to community members; and the influx of men are involved in this analysis.
Oxfam Australia 13
throughout the life of the mine and should include both community; however, other levels such as age group,
independent external and community-based analysis. class or indigeneity can be added as appropriate.
On each of these levels, the gender analysis matrix
Independent gender audit
requires community members to identify the impacts
The external gender audit reviews the companys of the mining project on labour, time, resources
implementation of the recommendations and gender (considering both access and control) and socio-
strategy resulting from the gender impact assessment. cultural factors. Other kinds of impact could be added
It examines how the identified gender issues have been to the matrix.
addressed, and whether anticipated negative gender
For each identified impact, community members are
impacts have been avoided. It should also identify
asked:
unexpected impacts.
Are the effects listed on the matrix desirable?
Community-based gender audit
Are they consistent with the communitys
A community-based gender audit complements the aspirations?
external audit by examining community perspectives of
Are they consistent with company committments?
the gender impacts of the mining project. By revisiting
concerns expressed by community members during the Which results are unexpected?
gender impact assessment process, the audit examines
The analysis should be done by community members
how these concerns have been addressed and any
in mixed groups of women and men and separately
additional issues that have arisen.
to draw out a range of responses that accurately
One approach to community-based gender auditing is reflect the impacts of the mining project on women and
to use a gender analysis matrix (Table 3). The gender men. The analysis should reflect different positions of
analysis matrix is a useful tool for a community-based responsibility and authority.
gender audit and impact assessment. This matrix is
If impacts are identified that are not consistent with
intended to initiate a process of analysis by community
the communitys goals for its development and
members and also encourages community members
committments made by the company, then the mining
to identify and challenge their own assumptions about
company must respond by working with women and
gender roles.
men in the community to resolve these negative
The impact of a mining project is examined at four impacts.
key levels, namely women, men, households and
Women
Men
Household
Community
Adapted from Candida March, Ines Smyth and Maitrayee Mukhopadhyay, A Guide to Gender-Analysis Frameworks, 1999
These definitions have been adapted from the women or men, depending on the cultural context.
Australian Agency for International Development Child rearing is generally primarily womens
(AusAID)s Guide to Gender and Development and responsibility although in most societies men also
Gender equality in Australias aid program why and play some role. Womens other reproductive roles
how. include pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
Oxfam Australia 17
Antoneth Aisa lives downstream from the
Tolukuma Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea.
The mine discharges waste into local riv-
ers and as a result the river water can no
longer be used. The mine is required by its
permit to provide community members with
clean water. Now that this has occurred in
Antoneths community, Antoneth can easily
provide her family with clean water for drink-
ing, cooking and washing.
Photo: Christina Hill/OxfamAUS.
Oxfam Australia 19
Women and men living near and working at the
Vatukoula Gold Mine in Fiji have complained of
poor wages and inadequate health and safety
practices for workers, gender discrimination by
the company and substandard company-provided
housing. Local women have complained that many
families are forced to share common bathroom
facilities, and that woman workers are overlooked
when the company allocates housing to its workers.
Photo: Shanta Martin/OxfamAUS