International Women in Mining Alliance aims for gender equality in industry

A geologist and a mining engineer trainee conduct a pit inspection at Teranga Gold’s Golouma pit. (Image courtesy of IWIM, Facebook).

The over 70 chapters of the Women in Mining organization launched this week the International WIM Alliance, with the goal to pursue gender equality in the mining industry.

At the inaugural Global WIM Summit, held on March 1-2, the Alliance made public its official Declaration, which is considered a milestone in the journey of the global WIM movement towards improved conditions and opportunities for women in extractives industries.

Key themes for the Alliance are inclusive workplace design and practices, overcoming the data deficit about women in the mining sector and the implementation of effective support

The Declaration includes a call for a more coordinated approach to globalized advocacy in support of local and national initiatives; increased coordination at a global level to fully integrate the WIM agenda; and more collaboration among WIM organizations to devise shared guidance, tools and initiatives to facilitate their work in support of women in mining.

Key themes addressed both at the summit and in the Declaration are the recruitment and retention of women in STEM, inclusive workplace design and practices, overcoming the data deficit about women in the mining sector and the implementation of effective support and mentoring programs.

The document that guides the International WIM Alliance also establishes the importance of engaging as an equal with global regulators, market leaders and policy shapers.