ABSTRACT
Addressing gender inequality and the global efforts to achieve all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has been evidenced in different parts of the globe. Although in recent years, the participation of women in different sectors has improved, in the mining sector, one can arguably say that gender equality is still a myth. The sector has historically been, and up to now still is, labeled masculine. This is despite the continuous active role of women in the various stages of the mining life-span. This dire state has attracted various initiatives and literature on the nexus between gender and the extractive industries (oil, gas and mining), albeit not much focus has been directed singularly to the impact of the mining sector on the achievement of SDG 5 on gender equality. This chapter therefore analyzes the unique negative impacts of the mining sector on women. The article highlights how women are impacted in various stages of the mining sector, specifically in the land acquisition process and during the final stage of mining. The article also highlights how the negative impacts associated with mining uniquely impact on women, in ways that are dramatically different from their male counterparts. The article therefore concludes by highlighting the various ways to ensure the achievement of SDG 5 in the mining sector.
