A number of years have passed since the first feminists based in Africa prioritised connections between gender, imperialism and race. Since these interventions, African feminist dialogues have become increasingly less concerned with critiquing western feminism and progressively more goal oriented and pro-active. Join GBSH Consult Group Executive Chairman H.E. Prof. Dr. Ambassador Tal Edgars as he discusses the contemporary approach to African Feminism.
4. 4WOMEN IN BUSINESS AND THEIR EXTRACTIVE
INDUSTRIES: TALKING BORDERS
Heightening transparency beyond boardroom level LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
“The extractive industries have the potential to drive immense economic and social development. However, it is vital that we consider how everyone is affected:
women and men, and whole mining communities. If extractive projects are not inclusive and sustainable — including employment practices that are gender
sensitive, and community investments that impact positively on gender equality and women’s empowerment — there are real risks to social stability, inclusive
growth and development, and even security.” UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
8. THE REALITY OF THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES – A MALE
DOMAIN????
A history of exclusion, evidence from the women in the extractive industries
8
Health and safety risks
If health and safety are genuine concerns
for men, they are indeed overwhelming for
women.
Sociocultural norms that work against
women in the extractive industries
It is believed that mining, manufacturing or any EI jobs
are meant for men
Communities’ involvement strongly
missing
“…We only saw people entering our land and
started clearing the bushes and drilling the
wells to start their activities of extraction” —
Women’s Voices by the International Alert
Presentation at the Sharefair on Gender
Equality in the Extractive Industries, 2015
Huge gender bias in the distribution of
risks and benefits
Layers of bureaucracy slowed down decision making
Sexual and gender-
based violence on
women and
girls: : “When people fight over land
because of the resources and the income
thereon, women bear the brunt of these
resource-based conflicts
9. 9
Factors affecting GEWE
Naming and confronting hurdles
EI pressure points
Possible policy and operational actions
WHY GENDER EQUALITY AND
THE EMPOWERMENT OF
WOMEN IN EI?
10. THE GEWE AND EI CHART
THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
10
Significance of integration
Significance of integrating gender related
realities, needs, interests, expectations,
potentials.
Gender Bias in EI sector
If unaddressed, could further widen the
gender gaps in access to resources and
resource-related opportunities
Discovery of large scale minerals
and metals in Africa
EI main drive of most economies--but not
often translated into jobs or household
wealth
Multiplier effects of women’s
economic empowerment on
other development gains
Like nutrition, health, education, sanitation,
improved livelihoods; WEE=Smart Econs
and pathway to GEWE
Basic right to all members of related
communities to participate
and benefit from its resources; Engendering the EI responds
to rights norms and principles;
EI Potential to step up women’s
economic empowerment
If Initiatives are transparent, fair and
equitable
Commitment to the SDG
processes and outcomes
The commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ is
central to the SDGs processes and
outcomes:
11. 11
“The Best Way to Predict the Future is to
Create It”
FACTORS AFFECTING GENDER EQUALITY AND
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT (GEWE) IN
EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES (EI)
12. NAMING AND CONFRONTING THE HURDLES
Source: GBSH CONSULT GROUP RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS
12
Decision making
- 10% in EI
- 20% in ministries, 20% low scale jobs
Political will
- Lack of legal frameworks,
policies and programs
Insufficient data
- Gender responsive policies
and action laws
Gender Stereotypes
- Beliefs
- Practices
Low participation of women in decision-making as managers in
EI about 10%; In ministries-about 20% often low scale jobs; As
work-force??
Political will and capacity-lack of legal frameworks, policies and
programmes that consider their needs and protect their rights
Insufficient data to inform gender responsive policies and
action-laws and policies gender neutral;
Background education-STEM-Understanding of the specificities,
technicalities and politics of the sector;
Gender stereotypes; Embedded socio-cultural norms, beliefs and
practices on land and property ownership-Who gets compensated
for land? Who gets employed, for what work and what pay? Who
bears the burden of family care? Whose burden of work increases in
the process?.
Background Education
- Science, technology,
engineering and mathematics
education
13. NAMING AND CONFRONTING THE HURDLES (cont.)
Source: GBSH CONSULT GROUP RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS
13
Lack of a political voice
- Power elations between the genders
Limited capacity
- Unfair competition
- Investment = Finance
- Mechanization
Health and other social
vulnerability
- Violence against women and
girls (VAWG)
Disproportionate power relations between the genders in
households and communities to public arenas, lack of a political
voice;
Limited capacity to take advantage of productive opportunities
Unfair competition; Investment=Finance, mechanization, Therefore
need for deliberate policies and laws to support women, youths
Health and other social vulnerability-VAWG, HIV, Prostitution;
Burden of Care, work load and lack of social protection
Limited access to and control of economic resources, etc;
Limited access to and
control of economic
resources
- Access to economic
resources
14. 14
Success Key Indicator Remote
IGNITING A PROCESS OF CHANGE FOR
WOMEN IN THE XTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES
Emerging good practices
POSSIBLE POLICY AND OPERATIONAL ACTIONS TO ENHANCE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES (E I)
PRESSURE POINTS
15. POSSIBLE POLICY AND OPERATIONAL ACTIONS
EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES PRESSURE POINTS
15
C
G
T
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Promote practice of corporate social responsibility-
Engage the Global Compact Women Empowerment
Principles;
GENDER RESPONSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
Make Financing mechanisms inclusive and investment in
gender responsive infrastructure;
TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY
Promote transparency and equity in the sector to
manage environmental degradation, economic
disturbance, population displacement, income
inequality, poverty and instability;
S
E
E
REVIEW SOCIAL NORMS
Review existing social norms on gender relations and
social issues emerging around EI;.
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
Address discriminatory employment practices and
increase access to capacity building;
DECISION MAKING POSITIONS
Engaging women in community consultations and
decision-making positions,
WITH THESE WOMEN WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN AND EXPLOIT THE
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL WITHIN THE VARIOUS EI VALUE CHAINS
16. EI EMERGING BEST PRACTICES VALUE RING 16
Direct employment in mining, oil
and gas
Local linkages for indirect and
induced employment in skilled
labour
Shared infrastructure investment
Enabling environment for
sustainable enterprises
Minimize livelihood losses and
linking Green Jobs to extractive
industries
Training and skills development
Social investment for sustainable
community development Formalize artisanal and small-
scale mining (ASM) for decent
work in this sector
Increase local ownership of
extractive industries
17. EFFORTS TOWARDS GENDER RESPONSIVE EI IN AFRICA
CURRENT AND POTENTIAL GENDER-RESPONSIVE ACTIONS IN THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES IN AFRICA 17
The Southern African
Development
Community Protocol on
Mining (1997)
The African Commission on Human and
People’s Rights, which adopted a
resolution on the need for a human
rights-based approach to natural resource
governance)
The African Union’s Africa
Mining Vision (2009)
The assessment methodology for member countries of the African
Peer Review Mechanism, which was recently reviewed to include a
comprehensive section on extractive industries)
The creation of women’s
advocacy bodies in STEM Private sector and non-
governmental organizations
have begun to develop tools
and guidelines
19. IN CONCLUSION: MIND THE GEWE GAP IN EXTRACTIVES IF
WE MUST ACHIEVE THE SGDs LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND!!!
19
EXTRACTIVES COMMUNITIES
Extractives operate in communities made up of
women/men, girls/boy;
GENDER POWER RELATIONS
Gender power relations in ownership, management and
control of natural resources are often imbalance in
disfavor of women;
GENDER INEQUALITIES
Extractive industries should be mindful not to widen the
gap, perpetuate the imbalance or create new streams of
gender inequalities;;
BRIDGE EXISTING GENDER GAPS
EI can bridge existing gender gaps in respective communities if
they make deliberate efforts, through policy decisions to ensure
women and men decide, participate and benefit equally;.
THE UNITY OF BOTH WOMEN AND MEN ON BOARD
EI must therefore mind the gender equality gap to ensure
extractives drive our economies with women and men on board!
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
Partnerships between the public and private sectors, UN
and development partners, CSOs and communities are
key in this effort;
GBSH CONSULT GROUP is contributing and will continue to promote efforts for women
and men to participate and benefit equally. Feminism is an issue of today. Africa is the
new frontier and I am reporting for duty.
THANK YOU!